RE:
Sleigh Ride Montage on YouTube"Do you ever have those
moments where you wonder why you’re stuck on Clay? Suddenly it appears
absurd and you think you’re done? I’m talking for like a second or two.
And then you click on a montage and you can’t stop smiling and giggling
and you want to hug him, give him high five, and just smile back at him?
And you know why. It doesn’t have to make sense, you just know why."

~Savonnette

From
a Blog:"Being an Orchestra and
Band Director/Conductor at one of our large University, I have heard hundreds
of singers sing our National Anthem so I was curious to see how a singer
from American Idol will fare.I am not really familiar with Clay Aiken so
I watched the video.My verdict: Mr. Aiken has an awesome voice,pure
in tone and clarity,great phrasing,and an exceptional vocal range.One of
the best singers of our national anthem that I have heard in my life.Wow
what a great performance.Thank you to who ever posted this.~Posted by: wmharrison
| March 1, 2007 5:05 PM

"I am not even an American
and I can appreciate how brilliantly and beautifully Clay sang your National
Anthem. I don't get the joke and why is it even a joke that people want
to hear Clay sing? He's got a beautiful voice and he is one of the most
talented singers I have ever heard. I definitely would love to hear him
sing more! NO JOKE!"~Posted by: Roni |
March 1, 2007 8:21 AM

"It's almost like there
are two Clay Aikens, one that Not.Just.Us knows and one that Just.Us knows.
He is the first-rate balladeer with the sunny smile and sense of humor
who shows up on television. He is also the rocking, strutting, wailing
"I'll take on Prince and U2 and Motown" bawdy humorist who commands the
concert stage. I hope the latter goes out on the town tonight and shows
up on Mike and Juliet tomorrow!

In the last few months,
the "real" Clay Aiken --- or at least a lot more of the aspects of the
multi-dimensional person his friends and family have long described ---
is showing up more and more as Clay broadens and redefines his public persona.
Funny --- he's been there all along, almost every time he sat on a couch
and told one of his stories. The self-deprecation, the mock outrage, the
innocent abroad schtick, the quicksilver wit, combined with his joy, his
skill and his courage as a performer make Clay one of a handful of people
in entertainment who is always engaging, if people just look at who he
actually is instead of filling in the fictional blanks of who he is "supposed"
to be."

~berkeley

" I recently came across
a neighbor who is a young, African American teenage boy as I was cleaning
out my van one day. Very typical. Loved Rap Music, Hip Hop too. Very..macho
for seventeen. He saw me dressed up in a Clay shirt and a vest I'd made.
After a couple of snide remarks, he stopped for a moment. I glanced at
him and he had the funniest expression on his face."What?" I asked impatiently,
waiting for more snotty comments to come.He looked at me quizzically,
unsure of what to say."Who's that singing?"
he asked. He was referring to you Clay, in all yourglory, singing "I Want
To Know What Love Is"."That's Clay Aiken" I
said.He looked at me skeptically
for a moment."Yeah, RIGHT", he snorted.
"My Pop used to play in a band. They did some oldies and stuff. You know..like
Foreigner. This song".It was my turn to look
at him quizzically. "So what's your point?" I asked.He just stood there for
a second, listening to the rest of the song. He hadn't said a word, didn't
make anymore remarks. I didn't want to ruin it for him. Or me for that
matter."Dunno," he said. "Just
shocked is all." He gazed towards the ground, kicking up some dust."Shocked?" I asked."Yeah..I didn't think
he sang that good."Then he walked away,
still pondering what he had just heard.It just goes to show
you, Clay...Your reach is far and
wide. Younger, older, white, black, physically or emotionally challenged,
so-called "normal", you touch us all. You somehow reach into our hearts
with your voice and wrap yourself around us, prodding ever so gently, touching
one person at a time. "

~Shari Sanchez

"He has work to do and
I think he knows it. I think that is what we are seeing.
He is revealing his inner snarky self, making people laugh, making people
like him, taking on the tabs with disdainful glee, showing off the pipes
in unexpected venues, making people want to hear more, getting buzz. I
am feeling more hopeful about his future than I ever have.

Those who love the CD
win because they have him singing to them on a regular basis. Those of
us who don't still win because we have the joy of watching the story unfold.
We all win because, for whatever reason, we love the guy and he loves us.
It's all good. Hell, sometimes it's great."

~AgingHippie

"He seems to be looking
forward to what's to come in 2007 so I'll follow his lead. I'm looking
to the future. I think it's going to be very bright and I'm not just talking
teeth here. *g*

~Invisible926

" Clay sends a message
of love in simple, condensed ways, and in the processs--along with many
others, famous or not-- he helps people bear the wounds life inflicts on
all of us: from losing a cat, to losing a foot, to burying a grandson.
He inspires people by being an imperfect, kind human being and putting
himself out there. Sometimes (often?) he sings, writes, or says clichés,
but he is sincere and not out to exploit others; and still he manages to
inspire others with his clichés and even to transform some hearts.
Oh, the miracles that a simple good heart can accomplish! "

~Savonnette

"And after a few months
of trying on a neo-hipster image, he looks like Clay Aiken again- kinda
cute, kinda dorky, but totally lovable."

"What makes Clay so compelling
as a personality, I think, is the many dualities that make him a complex,
three-dimensional persona -- the sincere self-deprecation while he's so
confident (especially on tour) of his appeal to fans, his good-heartedness
alongside the snark/sarcasm, his intelligence as he tries to play dumb,
etc. Looking at these other talk show hosts, I think that three-dimensional
persona will be a tough thing to maintain, but if he can, Clay will be
golden. Like many of you, I think Clay has scads of interesting things
to talk about, and I believe he can do so intelligently and effectively.
I remember being impressed during his role reversal interview of Tyra that
he seemed to actually listen, and intently. Generally speaking, I think
Clay has a special ability to cut through the fake-y niceties of promotional
TV and seem authentic, spontaneous and real. I just hope that, if/when
Clay gets that forum, he is able to nurture and sustain that ability. And
sing. His own music. A lot."

~43dudleyvillas

"You know what's funny?
Beyond the great voice, I don't think I knew what we had in Clay until
I saw him in concert. But even then, I don't think I knew quite what we
had.

In 2004, I saw someone
who electrified the crowd with his presence. Who could cover the whole
stage and sing to the person in front of him or the person in the cheap
seats. But he got better and better. Now we have the consumate performer
who can make a spontaneous bawdy joke that has the audience (and himself)
laughing and then turn on a dime and sing a glorious Christmas song. It's
quite simply amazing."

~Corabeth

Re: Pervasive comparisons
of Clay to Barry Manilow

"It is a fundamental
misunderstanding of Clay, his audience and his potential to label him as
the next anybody, much less associate him with an artist with whom he has
so little in common. Manilow is urban, Jewish, primarily an arranger and
accompanist before he was a singer, a former jingle writer, brought to
wider attention as music director for Midler, playing the bath house scene,
known for his broad strokes and more than thirty years Clay's senior. Nowhere
in Clay's own lists of favorite male artists was Barry's name to be found.

Clay's roots have nothing
in common with Barry's. Southern, mid-sized town, Southern Baptist, performed
and produced local family-friendly showcases, always the singer first ---
until he decided to make teaching his future. Being thin and using one's
mothers maiden name isn't enough to turn Aiken into Manilow's doppelganger.

Their vocal styles are
very dissimilar: I could see comparisons made to Taylor, Fogelberg, Loggins,
even Denver if one were to hark back to previous generations, but the man
who wrote "Lover All Alone" is reminding me more of John Ondrasik/Five
for Fighting or some of the more introspective work of Coldplay or The
Fray or Snow Patrol. Who is he beyond that song? That's what a savvy mentor
will help Clay determine.

I don't know where Clay
will go next, I don't know what's in his musical future, but I will be
a very happy person if he continues to explore his musical identity with
the help of a mentor who realizes that Clay's full potential lies in becoming
the best Clay Aiken, not a retread of any other artist, no matter how successful."

~berkeley

Note written to ABC News:

"I must give kudos to
ABC Online for the BE SEEN....BEHEARD....interviewconducted with Clay Aiken
regarding several subjects, mainly discussingthe questions and answers
from Clay's fans on the subject of UNICEF.

I regret I do not
have the name of the news correspondent whointerviewed Clay, but
I must tell her what a bang-up job she did, andhow much pleasure it
behooves each Clay fan to hear their Idolinterviewed intelligently,
thoroughly and with some substance. She wasso charming and I wish
you would let her know of my approval.

A thirteen minute
interview is a feast for all of Clay's fans, and Imust thank your organization
for recognizing that Clay Aiken is asinging Idol, but also
a great humanitarian, an intelligent andknowledgeable individual
and quite a clever conversationist.

Thank you for the
time you gave him to discuss what is so importantto him, and for the sense
of professionalism that pervaded the entiresession.

I shall look forward
to many such interviews in the future."

~Shirley Romano

"So, for me – what we
have now is Clay. He is beautiful and brave, kind and funny, talented,
goofy, serious, right and wrong…. He is human. And my feelings are the
same now as they were then and before then. He draws me in and I’m sticking
around. I know that doesn’t really address your question about how the
general public sees him, but I can’t really get too hung up on that. People
who take the time to look will find something special. And the journey
is far from over."

~akcanuk

"He has made such remarkable
music, but Clay's heart is my favorite song."

~berkeley

"Loved Clay on GMA, though
I wish he had been asked less about AI and more about UNICEF. Or almost
anything else.

One day a reporter will
ask Clay some great questions in an interview. I’m sure of it. At least
I hope so. Maybe not.

Scenario: Feb. 6,
2008

2007 was
a busy and amazing year for Clay, and 2008 already looks as if it will
be even more spectacular. Just a few months ago (after an “interesting”
break from RCA and signing with a new label), he released a new CD that
has already gone triple platinum. His new book is high atop the NY Times
bestseller list. He has a song nominated for a Grammy and a different song
nominated for an Oscar. His OFC contest last year made further gnat “productions”
pointless (people reading the tabloids kept saying “Good one! Bet that
one will win!” and whatnot). A serious personal relationship made its way
into the news (yeah, she’s blonde), and, for the moment, reporters have
stopped asking THE question. Clay is getting ready to start a world tour,
even though he is just returning from a three-country UNICEF visit, including
a stop in Iraq, where he was able to talk at length with the new Iraqi
president, who has amazingly been able to end the war and bring a new peace
to the entire nation.

Clay has
been too busy to give interviews for a number of months, even though he
knows he has a wealth of interview material. He still has no extra time,
but he has graciously offered to meet Joe Smith, a veteran news reporter,
at the airport and to fully answer any one question. Clay (who looks gorgeous,
by the way, in his long black coat, kickass boots, stubble, and Tyra hair),
reaches out and gives the reporter a firm, enthusiastic handshake. “Nice
to meet you, Mr. Smith. What question can I answer for you today?”

Mr. Smith
replies, “ Thank you so much, Clay. Did you watch American Idol last night?”

*sigh*"

~Brightstar

"Reader, you must know
that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits
almost everyone, man or mouse, who does not conform."

~Narrator of 'The Tale
of Despereaux'

"I believe that everyone
deserves the best start in life and that education is essential to a child's
development. Since becoming a UNICEF Ambassador in 2004, I have testified
before Congress urging the government to allocate more funds for UNICEF
so that its programs can reach all the children in need worldwide. I also
traveled to Indonesia after the tsunami and Uganda to see the devastating
conditions affecting millions of the world’s children first-hand—disease,
malnutrition, and war, chief among them. You just cannot believe how some
of these kids are forced to live. It’s truly heartbreaking, yet many people
don’t even know these conditions exist. It is my hope that as a UNICEF
Ambassador I can encourage people to join UNICEF's mission in support of
child survival programs worldwide and to make education a reality for these
children."

~Clay Aiken

"Happy 4th Anniversary
of "Take" ...

What followed was quite
an exciting and amazing journey on that Taken Road...certainly filled with
blinding curves, steep inclines, deep drop-offs, potholes and craters.
But there have been some heartstopping vistas of the many beautiful horizons
to come. Joy may be elusive and fleeting, but once the heart is Taken,
its afterglow of love is forever and its reach expands like ripples in
an infinity pond.

But the most wonderful
thing about the Taken Road is that it stretches from where it began to
as far as he wants to take it...and we, with him."

~calliek

"I think Clay considers
himself on a break from CD promotions...I bet he is currently concentrating
on BAF and UNICEF. But TC knows that its important for Clay to have a continued
radio and internet presence and to have some TV time so that it will be
easier for him to get interest once they start actively promoting again.
So they invest on some slow and steady radio play, bring out a video that
was already filmed and do some TV appearances where he does not have to
have the band with him, which can be very expensive. This way they are
probably saving money for for a more aggressive promo for the next single
and tour.

Clay is a smart and practical
man. He knows he won't be going anywhere. He does not need to race against
the 15 minute ticking clock...he is here to stay, so he can afford to take
it easy."

~samtaycai

Clay shows a surprisingly
adept manner of handling speed and tempo in a variety of slow ballad to
mid-tempo ballad ranges: [On his album 'A Thousand Different Ways' ]<snip>This
Clay Aiken work is not about fast and lusting. This is about deep ceremonial
introspection. This is a man singing the modern ballads with truth, honesty
and from the heart.

"I find Clay to be edgy
in his persona in that he goes his own way, knowing the inevitable repercussions
will come, from those that wish for conformity, in whatever form, be it
what they think he should sound like, look like, act like, yet he forges
on being *gasp* his own man. I admire that. I do think he shows more spine
than many of the vaunted, celebrated tough ones out there because he just
soldiers on without the driving need to point out why he’s who he is."

~boo7

"To be nobody-but-yourself—in
a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else—means
to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never
stop fighting."

~E.E. Cummings

"Quite possibly the most
polarizing contestant in Idol history, Clay (pictured during the Idol finals)
represents either the pinnacle of modern balladeering or the ultimate low
in lite-pop affectation, depending on whom you ask. That said, his take
on Neil Sedaka's angsty ballad — moodily backlit for maximum impact — was
as heartfelt as it was riveting, with not a single wonky note to be heard.
As Sedaka himself sighed, ''I have lost my song forever to you; it will
always be a Clay Aiken song.''

"Over the next few months,
you're going to fall head over heels inlove with a new "American
Idol" wannabe. Before indulging in your new infatuation,
consider these seven past standouts you gaveyour heart to -- and
what they did with it.

<snip>

CLAY AIKEN

"AI" finish: Second (2003)

Post-high: Responsible
for a new species of humans called "Claymates."

Post-low: While subbing
for Regis Philbin, covered Kelly Ripa's chattering lips with
his hand. Hey, Clay, you don't know where that mouth has been! "

Perhaps, like so many
who have brought joy to others, he was not meant for the masses. Perhaps
the world will never understand the love we have for each other. Perhaps
he came just for us, and if that is true we are indeed blessed.

~ananka1313

---

"ananka, honey, we are the
masses. There is nothing special about us. We are normal human beings from
all walks of life, representing all ages and all races. Clay is there for
us. He does have the respect of the masses and of the industry. Clive Davis
may not know what to do with Clay, however others do and are chomping at
the bit to get a crack at working with him. But, yes, I do have to agree,
we are indeed blessed."

~ncgurrl

I think that Clay's apparent
newsworthiness over just about anything results in heightened vitriol when
his music doesn't live up to the personality that generates all that attention.
Basically, I think the musical standard for him is higher, and he isn't
allowed to get away with bubblegum pop. I think that is because there's
this general idea of him out there as a do-gooder dogged by controversy
(whether legitimate or trumped-up), and it follows that the music he would
produce would reflect all that somehow. Since so much of what he does is
treated as if it means something (whether it does or doesn't), his music
should mean something, too. I think that's a fair expectation, honestly,
but it's also an awfully difficult one for anyone to live up to.

There's a separate but
related issue of whether Clay's natural inclination is to sing music that
reflects as complex and three-dimensional a personality as he is. I can't
pretend to know either way. For a long time, my feeling was that Clay prefers
to sing hopeful songs, alluding to struggle or challenge perhaps, but typically
reflecting a belief in the possibility of a happy end. But the lyrics of
"Lover All Alone" suggest that he has more than that inside of him and
more of a willingness to explore it that I had imagined. So I hope he has
and takes the chance to do that.

~43dudleyvillas

NBC's January 6 encore
telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Alec Baldwin and featuring
musical guest Christina Aguilera, has generated the highest "SNL" results
for
a rebroadcast in nearly three years. According to "live plus same day"
in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research," the January 6 "SNL"
rebroadcast delivered a 3.4 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and 7.6 million
viewers overall.

In adults 18-49, It's
the highest-rated "Saturday Night Live" encore since March 27, 2004 (with
host Megan Mullally and musical guest Clay Aiken) and in total viewers,
it's the top "SNL" rebroadcast since January 31, 2004 (another telecast
hosted by Alec Baldwin, this time featuring musical guest Missy Elliott).

"I took a package to the
post office to mail to a friend with one of my homemade return address
labels on it--it's the purty AIW pic that was our banner here a while back.
The postal clerk put it on the scale, looked, looked closer, and then squealed
"is that Clay??" So we had a mutual fangurrly moment or 3. "I just love
him," she said. "He's so nice, and his voice is great, and he's not vulgar
or mean or rude like all these other guys out there trying to sing."

~DixieHellcat

"I wanted a perfect ending.
Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories
don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing,
having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without
knowing what’s going to happen next.”

~ Gilda Radner

"I think the dilemma is
this. Clay loves them both. ["Sweet, Sappy love songs and Rockin'
songs."] He loves it when the entire audience is rocking out to 'Invisible'
or BFM', yet he also loves the acoustical segments he does. The JBT was
a really good mixture of both. If Clay does a love songs tour in small,
intimate venues, I'm OK with that because I think the tour after that will
be more rocking. It really is something to sit in a theater and listen
to Clay sing without all the screaming. But participating in a crowd of
people rocking out to his songs, fists pumping, head-banging (well, as
head-banging as one can get-ya'll know what I mean), standing, dancing
in your spot. Man, what a rush, for us and for Clay. So I have no doubts
that he'll satisfy both sides of his musical heart.

I don't think Clive, in
mandating a covers album, is working against Clay's career, I think Clive
looked at the success of Barry and Rod's cover albums and thought that
Clay could double, if not triple the sales of the other two, just with
the fact that Clay is current and has a fan base of all ages. I think Clive
erroneously misjudged this CD and Clay is paying for it. I applaud what
Clay has done with the songs but some people just can't get past the covers.
Combine that with a lackluster push to radio along with little major print
promotion and you have a gold record instead of a platinum one."

~Shadylil

Re: The 2006 David Foster
Gala:

"I loved the part when
David had Clay re-sing the "money note" for Unchained Melody. I love watching
David's face as Clay sings. After David messes up the note the first time,
and then Clay comes right in on the correct note, David just smiles and
shakes his head in amazement and appreciation for how Clay just came right
in on key and nailed it. At the end of "Without You", I love how David
stands up from the piano, walks over to Clay and goes, "GOD!" and then
hugs Clay and keeps hugging him. As Clay walked off the stage, David repeated,
"WOW!". '

~anntherese

"My hope for him this
year is to produce a CD of kick ass music...original, bluesy, heartfelt,
a little bit of edge and a lot of soul. One that celebrates his voice and
his heart. I could not care less which label it's on.(The last one got
so little attention it might as well be 3 years old.) Then I want him to
go on tour and sing it all...old and new..with that sexy/funny presence
he has. And I want at least one frickin' review to give him the respect
he deserves. And I want him to come to my theater so I can get 1st row
seats for everyone.

I am encouraged that Clay
says his current mood is "excited" and it gives me hope to see who is in
his corner and I have a lot of faith in him to live his life and manage
his celebrity with integrity, honor, class and wit. He is smart and he
has experience dealing with bullies. He has come home and pulled his friends
and family close, so he will be dealing with things from a position of
strength."

~ AgingHippie

"Beyond all the things
that we debate about, the reality that Clive [Davis] mandated an album
of 80s covers for a sophomore album of a hugely popular singer is an action
that speaks louder than anything else to me. Whether or not it means that
Clive is actually working against Clay's success for some reason or simply
trying to put him in a musty corner where he won't compete with the others
in the AI stable doesn't matter. To me it's reason enough for Clay to try
to get the hell out as soon as he can find a way that works and a good
alternative. There isn't anyone in the business that would ever tell you
that doing mostly covers for a sophomore album is anything but career suicide.
Clay's probably one of the few pop stars that can survive it.If he can't get away
right now, I'm glad he has loyal fans who will stick by him and I'm one
of them. But I want to hear what a free, or freer Clay would sing, and
I want that sooner rather than later."

~waterbaby

"There is an African proverb,
"When you pray, move your feet."

To me, that's always meant
living life with the combination of faith and action.

I know that Clay believes
in prayer. Right now, I hope his feet are moving, too."

~berkeley

"When I say it, ["I believe"]
I don't mean some nebulous "something" on the horizon or some particular
road that might end in a disappointing dead end. I mean " I believe in
Clay Aiken". I believe in the power I see in his gifts, his talents, his
charisma, and his continued example of "be the change you want to see in
the world". I believe in positive energy, in light, in hope, in love. I
believe in the glow of affection I see in his eyes and ours when we are
together, in the laughter and friendships I've enjoyed "since Clay", in
the bubble of joy I feel in my heart when I hear him sing, in the tenacious
optimism he demonstrates as he lives his life.

As for the label, I did
mistakenly hope for a juggernaut and instead got juggerNOT...so I'm not
putting my faith in "that", although I still cherish dreams in that direction.
Instead, I'm learning to feel excitement and hope that doesn't depend on
external circumstances...that doesn't rely on the proactive support I wish
for from the label, that doesn't hinge on the public/media acceptance I
still dare to hope for. I've found that enjoying the way I feel about Clay
is "excitement" enough. Whatever happens, I know "he's got me"...THAT'S
what I believe in.

For me, it's all about
Clay Aiken. I BELIEVE! :)

~00Isee

"I recall Clay saying
on a few occasions that he is a realist as opposed to an optimist. I would
think that he watches the incoming numbers for CDs, concerts, etc with
hope for the best and a desire to out-do the others, but with a constantly
evaluating eye. His comments on Kimmel reinforced my perception of his
outlook. With regard to not buying Timberlake's CD, he said, "I don't want
the competition. I don't wanna give him points. Every vote counts!" In
that same interview he had just downplayed the potential of knocking Justin
from the top perch. While he might generally downplay his ambition verbally,
I believe he actually is *very* competitive, but realizes there are many
external elements that strongly influence results. It is an interesting
tightrope to walk ... balancing self-confidence, reality, insecurities,
hype and knowledge of industry machinations among a zillion other things."

~Fountaindawg

"I too love 'A Thousand
Different Ways' beyond all reason...my beef was always that a CD of covers
was the wrong choice for a sophomore album, regardless of how skillfully
it was done. We did see tantalizing glimpses of the original work of which
Clay is clearly capable...I hope wherever he goes, [Re: Speculation that
he may leave the RCA label] he will be able to go in that direction if
he so he chooses. With some actual effort to distribute the stock properly
and get some tracks played on the radio. That shouldn't be asking for too
much for someone of Clay's talent and sales record."

~Pink Armchair

"Clay didn't search around
for his current label, he had no choice. Sort of like when you leave college
with your degree and a smile and you'll take just about whatever job they
give you. (I can't believe I could live on my first paycheck.) But just
like when you decide to move on to the next company, you interview the
new company while they are interviewing you. Forget "show me the money",
if I were him I'd say "here are my goals and concerns, show me the marketing
plan". '

~Corabeth

"Freedom. It's not just
a fantasy.

Clay will always know
it. He knows it now. It's just a matter of time.

And knowing this, I am
free.

It's going to be an amazing
year."

~calliek

"Think about it....with
all the crap last year, a LOT of people decided that they wanted to take
in a Clay Aiken show in December. And....Clay surprised EVERYONE...including
his fans. The guy who came out on those stages was not the cowering, embarrassed,
uncomfortable guy predicted by those mental giants at Access Hollywood.
The guy we saw was confident, blisteringly funny, a stellar performer.....and
he took no prisoners. Can't wait to see what's next."

~Permaswooned

"Call from Grand Rapids
violinist:I just got off a phone
call from one of the symphony members in Grand Rapids . They call new subscriber's
to their concerts to encourage attendance. She was absolutely wonderful
to talk with. She had high praise for Clay and his work ethic and his voice.
She also had high praise for Jesse Vargas and how he had everything prepared
for the Symphony. She is the one who Clay asked to define mercato. She
also said that while he bantered and had fun with that that once he started
to sing he was all business and was focused on the program. And boy can
he sing she said. Asked me if I had followed him from the beginning and
was I one who still had my hand up for the number of concerts. Said he
was very easy to work with during rehearsals and a true professional and
very nice guy!! She also added that he must have picked up the news of
their Grammy nomination on his own cause they had just found out the day
before about the nomination and were all a buzz about it. Too cool!"

~flozie

"What is "right for Clay"?
My dream for Clay has always been that his dreams for his life and career
come true, not mine. His is a sublime talent: I will be there, whether
he plays clubs, concert halls, stadiums or Vegas, whether he sings mainstream
AC, Top 40 or the more indie-inspired sound of "Lover All Alone". All I
know about what is right for Clay is what he says --- everything else is
just me musing on a message board, where I could be reading him rightly
or wrongly. He has said he wanted radio play, particularly on Hot AC formats.
I will believe that it is right for Clay when he has a label putting concerted
effort into getting it for him, with every legal form of $upport still
available. He has said that he doesn't want to be a punchline. The Fosters
don't think he's a punchline, and neither does Tyra Banks or Neil Sedaka
or Eman Kiriakou or a slew of singers, songwriters, engineers, arrangers
and producers whose positive comments about Clay never made it into official
RCA Public Relations. I'll believe he has the right combination of label,
PR and management when I see more of the simple things that focus on his
talent, including more music-based interviews and being talked up by his
peers / collaborators / writers / producers when an album drops.

Clay has asked his fans
to request his songs in the past. I will be very interested in seeing if
he does so when "A Thousand Days" goes for adds or if he ever mentions
ATDW in his blog again. That will tell me a lot about whether or not he
considers this album cycle finished and whether a "fresh start" is more
than a simple New Year's greeting.

"Excited"? Yeah, Clay,
I am, too, and I don't have to know exactly why yet.

I've heard you sing.

I've seen you entertain.

And now I know what you
are capable of writing.

"Excited" is an understatement."

~berkeley

"...he is not the young
kid from the Carolinas with a bad haircut and a number on his chest anymore.
He travels in different circles now. Don't you think he networks? I do.
I think he talks about this stuff with his AI friends, with the Foster-Levy_Aiken_Fosters,
with other industry people, with Buble, with Manilow, with Rosie, with
DS. Sometimes he gets good advice, sometimes he gets used. Life is sorta
like that for all of us, no?

But he rides in the black
cars now. He has lawyers and agents and cleaning people and PR folk and
a gardener and a publicist and a body guard and a fan club and lots of
money and amazing talent. It's not just him and Faye now. He has people."

"I imagine it's hard to
market Clay. Every time we see him, he reveals a new talent. He is unique.
It would be like trying to catch falling stars in a paper cup. Maybe the
best thing to do is watch the sky with wonder and wait. I have time."

~AgingHippie

I have no doubt in my
mind that when Clay Aiken lays his head on his pillow at night he has no
problem falling right to sleep and sleeping like a baby.

Clay Aiken knows who he
is. I don't think he loses any sleep at night because I don't think he's
trying to impress anyone. I don't think he's worried about changing anyone's
mind. I think he has finally learned that the best path you can take in
this business is to be true to yourself and let the chips fall where they
may.

I think he made up his
mind to take control of life and do it ALL his way. If people like him
and what he does...super. If they don't...whatever. I think he enjoys entertaining
(in many forms) and I think he would love to continue to do so as a career.
But I also think if the demand for his talent would dwindle away...he'd
be just fine. I've felt that way from the beginning of this journey and
I have never wavered on that opinion.

~Panty Queen

"I am very intrigued by
Clay's comment in his blog that his mood is "excited". Not just "happy",
but "excited". I love the sound of that. I do think he has plans in the
works for this year... he always has plans in the works. I have to laugh
at times when I think about those stories from his friends and professors
back in his college days who told us that he'd race into class at the last
minute with a bag of Chick o' Filet (sp?), having skipped his homework,
having slept in, clothes grabbed off the floor, winging his way through
some of the classes when not prepared--typical college student. Who would
have anticipated that he would turn into such a multi-tasker and successful
CEO of Clay Aiken Inc.? "

~ellenpoppy

"...So whatever his fresh
start is I will be also be gratified in knowing that I was right to put
every confidence in his ability to know what's going on around him. This
man is sharp as a tack. He will move on if ncesesary, stay [with RCA] if
he chooses to, make the best of it if released. He will learn each day
more and more what he wants out of this business whether it's singing love
songs, or pop songs or rock songs or doing television, or focusing on charity
or whatever. That faith in his strength and courage allowed me to
enjoy every TV appearance, clack, both albums, without worry or angst.
He's a smart man, sharing in the decisions of his career, knowing the stakes
in commenting on things the way he did, making compromises as we all must
do in life. I will be surprised by nothing that happens in 2007 yet be
surprised by everything..and yes that makes perfect sense to me."

~couchtomato

"Christian has been working
closely with Clay Aiken and his executive producer Jaymes Foster, sister
of legendary producer David Foster. "A Thousand Days"was
released on Clay Aikens album "A Thousand Different Ways." The album debuted
at # 2 on billboards top 200 albums the first week it was released. Christian
wrote “A Thousand Days” specifically for Clay. Clay Aiken has performed
Christian’s song on national television, including Good Morning America,
Jimmy Kimmel Live, CNN Larry King Live, The Martha Stewart Show and the
Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. "

Tomorrow, the road would
widen and extend to points so much father than he'd ever dreamed...but
tonight, the world seemed as small and as large as the outpouring of that
love in the arena as he choked back the tears, listening to the thousands
of voices raised in celebration of his.

The arena, of course,
was Raleigh.

But the arena now, always,
no matter where he is, is the world. From the stage, from the screen, from
the Internet, from us.

He is still intimately
ours, but he is everywhere else. It's made for a hard battle.

And it has been just that.
But he has never really been at war. We have, for him. But he has been
at peace. Because he knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. His
banter tells us he knows. A lift of the eyebrow, a subtle twang, a flip
of the hair. Yes, he knows.

True, there have been
some trials. But he raised his voice, he let it ring...we heard it. It
has not wavered. Clay is as he has always been.

Now, 2007 is here.

Step back and wait for
the glorious sunrise. It is coming."

~calliek

"I've learned that beauty
isn't skin deep---------that it begins in the heart and radiates out. Though
Clay has had a wonderful transformation on the outside----it wouldn't have
had the impact that it has had if the beauty wasn't in the inside first
and has remained there continually.

I've learned that perseverance
is the key to success. Clay proved that with the American Idol adventure---where
he overcame all odds and obstacles. And that winning a race isn't the only
acceptable result. I've learned that I want to be the very best I can be.
I've learned that we don't have to measure our success by what the world
thinks or holds dear. That we need to be true to ourselves and our beliefs---that
is true Success!!!

I've learned that it is
best NOT to return evil for evil and it is also sometimes best not to comment.
Clay has weathered some scathing allegations, and has shown that he has
become a better man as a result."

~Idb51

"I just wouldn't want
to miss out on the deliciousness that is Clay Aiken. Not ever seeing him
in concert hasn't made me waver in my fandom one bit. I've been a fan since
"Take..." and all through the times when we didn't know if he'd even be
out on tour (Solo Tour!) to right now. And I'm eagerly anticpating what
2007 has in store for him and us!"

~xandersmom

"My first Clay concert
was "going to be" the JBT in Toronto until health issues prevailed. I was
heartbroken. But I will always be a hardcore fan despite still being a
concert virgin.

He won my heart during
AI2, and won it again for all time the first time I watched some clack
of the infamous Minnesota Invisible. Hook, line and sinker. No turning
back. Never once looked back. Always looked forward to the next time...and
always will. He's got me for life. The voice is what did it. The emotion.
The delivery. The tone. The entire package. I will always be eager for
his new music. I will always follow him through whatever means are available.
And if it comes to a day when not a board exists on the Internet, I will
hound his label (whichever label that may be) and haunt the record stores
and the internet for his music. The voice is the root that sustains. Everything
else is icing on the cake (and what a cake it is *g*). I thank the Lord
for the clack gatherers (of every genre). If I never see a concert live,
I hope to continue to experience this amazing performer through the eyes
of those with the passion to bring it to us. Thank you will never be enough.

I have never felt this
way about an artist (and what an artist he is) before. I never expect to
feel the same way about an artist again. Until he brings me a CD filled
with "lyrics by Clay Aiken", it doesn't matter to me whether it is covers
or original songs. It's the voice. Always the voice. The tone and vibrato
bring unmatched vocal beauty. Don't care about the glory notes. They've
never been the most important thing to me. It's the root of the voice that
makes it special for me.

A hard core fan who's
never seen a live concert? Yup, that's me. And I will always be "hard core"
even if I never see a live concert.

Hope everyone had a great
Christmas and that the New Year brings Clay back to us as soon as possible.
I can't tell you how much fun and beautiful music this JNaT has brought
to these grateful ears and eyes (through the clack for this tour). I've
loved it. Get busy, Clay. We're waiting...with love."

~anncanada

"He asked the men to raise
their hands, and there was a guy about 10 rows back on the aisle who didn't.
He was maybe 6 rows down from me. Clay wanted to know his name, including
last, and the guy said "Smith". He asked where he worked--he was really
picking on the guy, but the guy was loving it. Meanwhile the wife is supposed
to be standing and Clay won't let her sit down. She keeps trying to sit
down but everytime he asks her something else and all she can do is giggle
and blush. She was a good-looking woman, 30ish, maybe 40? Both of them
were well-dressed and "classy". So then someone on the other side of the
theater starts telling the entire audience what the guy's name really is,
where he works and so forth. Everyone is laughing. I could see the guy
and his wife for the rest of the concert--the guy loved every minute of
it and interacted with everyone around him for the rest of the show. I
was sitting among mostly all NJU people whom I didn't know, and I watched
them all being won over and totally having a blast. It created a sense
of community in the audience, and made folks feel happy. Clay is sharp,
quick on his feet, and a fantastic entertainer."

~Claymaniac in PA

"I have always believed
that one of the best ways to increase concert attendance would be to get
one of [Clay's] shows televised and marketed with great clips in
ads so folks wouldn't ignore it as 'likely Clay standing at a mic and singing'.
Just using my Clack supply [fan videos of Clay in concert], I could plan
a nice little TV concert using the great vids taken by our resident Clack
Goddesses and their compatriots across the fandom. It would lack that live
'hit' that you cannot get any other way than his voice heard in person,
but the diversity of material and styles covered with such excellence might
open quite a few eyes and minds. I think far too many people know nothing
about him but the nice ballads and Christmas songs."

~Fountaindawg

"I am totally out of
the loop with whatever "crap" is happening lately, but I want to share
this. I am a very skeptical person who has a hard time believing anything
unless I hear it for myself. Well, this I heard first hand, with my own
ears. At the Englewood concert, this man came over and started talking
to the women next to me. (I was not eavesdropping, I couldn't help but
hear, he was standing right in front of me. Honest. LOL!) Well, it turns
out he was the Director of the theater and was telling these women all
about Clay at rehearsal that afternoon. He said that Clay was the most
genuinely nice guy....he was saying that he was taking pictures and signing
autographs all afternoon and that Clay was so nice to everyone about all
of it.

He said that he would
never believe anything bad he read about Clay because "He is just too nice
of a guy!"

~Claydoh

Clay has made me smile,
giggle, jump for joy, groan, moan, cringe, tingle, desolve into tears,
laugh like a lunatic and act like a kid... All of which made me happy to
be alive!"

~ForeverYoung

"Twas the night before
xmas and all is quiet here at my family's house. Cookies have been made,
Santa notes written, all the children are in bed wondering when the big
guy will arrive, we have played Santa, arranged the presents, ate the cookies
and drank the milk. Everyone has gone to bed and left me down here in the
quiet of the house with the twinkling lights. There is lots to be thankful
for including all the friends I have made though this crazy ride over the
last 3 years and seven tours. Here's to many more, all serenaded by the
beautiful voice of that lovely southern man. Off to listen to AIW one more
time and then to bed to catch some sleep before the thunder of little steps
come running down the stairs. All is well indeed."

~CiperBIF

"Clay Aiken,the popular
young singer who was runner-up on American Idol several years ago, has
become a true advocate for the disabled, especially handicapped kids.
He has a foundation which helps the disabled, has been named to the President's
Board on Disabled Issues, and was once on the road to becoming a special
education teacher before fame and a singing career came his way.But despite his wealth
and popularity, his devotion to the disabled has only increased. For instance,
Clay recently did a holiday concert in Easton, Pa. While there, he visited
a third-grade class that included disabled students, and even provided
limo rides to and from school for the kids.Good to see someone so
young and popular hasn't forgotten his roots, morals and what is truly
important in life."

~GREG SMITH, Phoenixvillejournal.com

"The UNC Charlotte graduate
and 'American Idol' Season 2 runner-up returns for his annual Christmas
concert tonight at Belk Theater, where he'll perform with the Charlotte
Symphony.

"What to Expect: Aiken's
current show is more intimate than his Joyful Noise holiday tours of 2004
and 2005. Teaming with the Charlotte Symphony, Aiken will perform traditional
Christmas classics, many from his 'Merry Christmas with Love' album. Carols
should include 'The Christmas Song' and 'The First Noel.'

"Public Image: Aiken is
no stranger to controversy: He took flack after unveiling his bold new
look on the 'American Idol' Season 5 finale and more recently was criticized
for shoosh-ing talk show host Kelly Ripa. But the Raleigh native still
comes off as the down-home boy next door that mothers love on stage --
and dismisses the incident with Ripa as overblown."

~Charlotte Observer

"Clay is the only person
who has maintained his cool (and sense of humor) throughout the whole media
frenzy. Rosie looks like a big-mouth. Kelly looks like a shrew and homophobe.
Howard Stern is always the same, just more visible and more disgusting.
Now Donald Trump, who despite his millions and high lifestyle, never learned
anything about real class, is groveling for attention in the gossip realm.
Do these people have any idea how bad they look to the rest of the population?
They seem so petty and self-absorbed in their silly little spats blown
into big media events. Donald has always had an ego the size of New York.

Clay looks like the class-act
he is. I am glad I am on his team."

~Barnett2

"Easy listening music
is not exactly my scene, so I was pretty deadset about not liking him,
but in all honesty, the guy is adorable. Really. It's not that I think
his features are particularly attractive, but you just can't not like him.
He's so damn personable, and he cracks stupid jokes at the expense of everyone,
himself included, and you feel like you've known each other forever."

~LiveJournal post

"When we got to rehearsal
and tape, Clay asked if he needed to stick to the script because he would
"never remember the lines.” I told him I had tweaked my lines around a
bit and we could just play and not worry about the script. He was happy
to improvise with me. In this situation, Clay just being himself worked
well and it didn’t have that staid feeling of something scripted. Kudos
to our director, Roger Inman, for always being there to get the shots.
The song was very sweet and quite apropos for Steve to offer Kayla. All
in all, I think the day was a success. (You can see all photos at http://stephennichols.net.)
"

"Clay Aiken was here the
other night too... again, not my cup of tea, but um.. he was HILARIOUS.
seriously we were not expecting him to be so so so funny. he should have
his own talk show or something. just like, the unscripted stuff and banter
between him and the audience was so great. [He] improvised one-liners all
night and had everyone dying laughing between songs. <snip>. Anyway,
he was a riot. not into the songs that much (although he's very talented
and belted out ballad after ballad after ballad), but in between stuff
was spot-on.

BTW, it is my firm belief
that this gesture was a general thank you to the entire audience for their
forebearance and support. It came well after the end of DSIAFCD. It was
NOT in thanks for those "helpful" fans who decided to wave GLOWSTICKS back
and forth during the song!!! No, unfortunately, I'm not kidding.

I'm sorry, what were these
IDIOTS thinking???? At that point, the man was sitting frequently, and
holding on to the stool for balance the rest of the time. He stated SEVERAL
times that he was dizzy...that he had a headache....asked to kill the spotlight....STEVIE
WONDER could see that he was really struggling to maintain his equilibrium.

So who in their right
mind would think it appropriate to wave brightly colored light sticks back
and forth, back and forth, back and forth in front of the guy???

While we are putting in
prayer requests to help Clay heal quickly, I would like to add a special
request to smite these women. Smite them severely. Before the next concert.
Thank you."

~Permaswooned

"Just back from Tilles
and West Point and I gotta say, girls, these were the crowning Clay shows
of my life. Such grit, such hotness, such tones, such vocal purity, such
wit and such drama! The rollercoaster ride that is the Aikenator with steep,
steep climbs, dizzying descents and very sharp turns! Hands in the air
and scream, folks! He is here to stay and the audience is eating out of
his hand. We are his happy trained seals waiting for our next cue. Last
night in WP , there was the greatest , smoothest audience interaction I
have ever seen. He is funnier and smoother already than a lot of so-called
established acts.

Those Paul Smith suits
fit him like sensuous gloves, caressing his finely turned thighs when he
crosses them in that open way he does. The soft , expressive and graceful
hands lightly brushed with fine copper hair are to die for. He is made
for love. He looks very much the young English gentleman. And can he do
accents or what? This bawn New Yawkah was stunned by the Nawtheaste'n sounds
comin' outta his mouth. "

~Divayenta

"I have never in my life
seen such grit, such stubbornness, such endurance and showmanship. This
man is totally amazing! He came out walking very very slowly and we wondered
what was wrong. He sat on the stool for the first two songs. Then he said
that probably all the message boards would be typing that he was sitting
on the stool, that he had no tie on. Then he explained about his ear and
his dizziness and asked the people in the first row to watch out in case
he falls on his face on the stage.

And he proceeded to give
the show of his life. Occasionally he would grab onto the stool and hold
on for dear life. And yet, he still had time to joke with the audience,
to give the mic to a girl who got engaged last night at the top of the
Empire State Building.

When it came to DSIAFCD,
he held that note and it was just as powerful as when he was standing.
He moved the mic away for the last sentence as usual, and it was wonderful.

And then he tried to stand
and almost went over. He walked oh so slowly to the side of the stage,
and Jamie met him there and walked him out.

The house lights went
up, but my sister said “Wait- the orchestra people are looking to the side”

And sure enough, Jamie
escorted this wonderful wonderful man back to the front- he sat down, and
the pure notes of All is Well drifted out over the audience. And the last
note, he took a breath---and held it for longer than I ever heard him do
it before.

He stood, wavered a lot,
and Jamie came and got him and took him offstage.

Everyone in the audience
gave him a huge standing ovation, their mouths open in awe. He is so freaking
unbelievable. That man is capable of anything!!

I hope that he rests and
takes something to clear that up. I have vertigo and there are antivertigo
pills that are available (with prescription) but if he has an ear infection
too, that would need antibiotics.

I believe he will be there
tomorrow night. What a man, I am awed at his perseverance. Totally."

~Marilyn

***

"Tonight I watched Clay
seemingly "saunter" out to the mike, arriving a bit late for the first
few words of CW and then sit squarely on the stool. After a few moments,
I watched him grab for the side of the stool and hang on, and I said to
myself OMG, he's got vertigo. Wow. What a moment of deja vu. I used to
sing in a huge choral group, and I had to get permission to sit on a stool
for the concerts, but it had to have a back and arms. It wasn't enough
to just have a seat. Otherwise, I was going to fall off the risers, and
I usually had to hold on to the person next to me with one hand from time
to time.

Here's a little medical
aside (hey...medicine is my life!). We know our position in space because
our brain integrates signals from our inner ears, what we are seeing, and
where our body is touching something solid. Because Clay was on a stool
with no back, and because he closes his eyes so much when he sings, and
has a spotlight in his eyes when they're open, he was truly working without
a net tonight.

If you haven't had vertigo
yourself, it is impossible to describe what it is like. Can you just imagine
how hard it was for Mr. Control Freak to discover that no matter how hard
he concentrated, or how strongly he willed it, he absolutely could not
walk in a straight line, or stand without being in danger of falling? There
are no words to describe it.

Just so you know, in general,
it is not a painful condition. Except of course for the falling, staggering,
frequently extremely nauseous thing. That's not fun.

There is no way for me
to describe to you all the unbelievable amount of awe, admiration and respect
I have tonight for that stubborn, gallant, big-hearted, professional, beautiful
man. From my wonderful front row seats, I watched him hang on to that stool
with one hand, the other hand, two hands, grip the microphone like death,
and try to keep from turning very much in order to keep his precarious
seat. That has been me, and I cannot possibly tell you how hard it was
for him to do that.

The tremendous effort
wore him out, but you couldn't see it until he tried to walk offstage,
and then return for the encore. He was so pale, and he looked like he was
fighting really losing it and getting sick as the song drew to a close.
Several deep breaths and then he had to gesture for Jamie to come and get
him. He couldn't let go of the stool.

Tears were standing in
my eyes, as I watched that gorgeous, determined man as he attempted to
navigate a stage that must have suddenly seemed to him like the deck of
a ship in a storm (more deja vu). Wow. This whole evening was delivered
from the gut level. No words.

No. Oh no. No, Mr. Titanium
was chattier than ever. He was funny and witty and quick...as much so or
more than any other concert night. He sang beautiful versions of every
song. Very tender, nuanced, yet with power and glory when called for. He
didn't prowl the stage. And he didn't lean out over the audience to chat.
Otherwise, it was a spectacular show. If you hadn't seen him before, you
wouldn't know the difference. And he explained the problem in a humourous
way throughout the night for those who had seen the show before and DID
know the difference.

I am so honored to be
a fan of this man. I feel so honored to have been one of the fans there
for him tonight. Mr. Webcat is right. The lady next to me and I were chanting
our prayers for him out loud as he struggled to finish that last song.
On any audio version, no one would ever know what it cost him to perform
it. Sheer determination and a will of iron. Unbelievable.

I took approximately a
kabillion pictures tonight. Clay was really gorgeous, dizzy or not. However,
I don't have any of Clay being helped on or off the stage. He was not happy
to have had to ask for that help.

Plus, I was too busy applauding
and yelling out "Thank You Clay!!!" Thank you for that magnificent effort.
Thank you for a beautiful evening in every way.

BTW, I talked to Jesse
Vargas after the concert. I told him that I worked in the medical field,
and that I had had the exact same problem as Clay in the past, including
being on stage.

I told him that Clay's
problem got worse as the concert progressed, partially because he keeps
closing his eyes. It's difficult not to try to minimize the spinning, but
it makes it worse. I told him it would help Clay a great deal if they could
give him a focal point. Keeping that focus diminishes the spinning. I told
him a stool with a back, and if possible arms, would help as well.

At that point (gathering
music onstage) Jesse said Clay was getting treatment right away. That he
didn't see how Clay was going to be able to do that (Tilles) show, but
that Clay felt sure he could pull it off. However, Jesse wasn't sure how
he could do that again, since Clay was obviously in trouble at the end.

However, it seems that
by the time the bus crowd heard from him, the word was that Clay was getting
treatment, and that it couldn't be any worse tomorrow night, and would
most likely be better.

If that's the case, then
I'll probably be able to see that amazing, professional, gutsy entertainer
again in West Point. If not, we'll plan other activities and hope to see
him Saturday at Red Bank. He already gave us more than 200% tonight. If
he doesn't have enough left for tomorrow, we'll more than understand. "

~Permaswooned

" Clay Aiken had the mostly
female audience in the convention center ballroom in the palm of his hands.

Between holiday songs,
Aiken, in a blue suit and really big shoes, joked with the audience, including
a third-row fan who brought binoculars sporting a Christmas motif, and
made fun of himself by bringing up several times the whole "hand-over-the-mouth"
controversy that occurred when he was a guest host on the "Live With Regis
and Kelly" morning show a few weeks ago.

"Just call me Mr. Controversy,"
he said jokingly. "I'm a scandalous person." Performing with the Hartford
Symphony, Aiken's performance marked the first time the convention center
has been used for a concert.

"When you do something
the first time you don't know what to expect," said symphony music director
Edward Cumming. "But sometimes doing something new works out well. We think
this did."

Sending warmth to you...and
all who dwell here. And everywhere else...where he will be discovered again
and again and again...for the first time or, simply, again. It's a rebirth
that redefines...and alters.

Mind, heart, life.

Ah, the glory. It knows
no end."

~calliek

Had a conversation with
the [Williamsport] banquet manager as he watched the room quickly fill
up. He told me that Williamsport has not had that kind of excitement in
14 years. They have had other acts like Barry Manilow there, but none has
sold so well. He was not just talking about the theater. What he told me
was:

CLAY SOLD OUT THE TOWN!!!!

His hotel and others were
thoroughly booked because of Clay. Restaurants were filled because of Clay's
fans. He seemed genuinely pleased to be a part of it. Add this to the stories
about them not seeing activity like that at the bus after the show, and
concert goers who said they would see him again whenever he came back to
the area, and I think he really made an impression on Williamsport!!!"

~clayzedover

"Heaven help us all if
he ever uses his power for evil."

~drmchaser614

"Being in Hollywood makes
it a lot different than being in North Carolina or in most anywhere," said
Clay Aiken, who moved home after a stint in Los Angeles. "It's just a different
beast, and I kinda wanted to be back with people who knew me and didn't
think of me as Clay Aiken the singer but, you know, Clay Aiken the dork.
I needed to be close to family, and I just kinda liked the stability of
that." "

~Clay Aiken

"From the moment I saw
Clay perform Mack The Knife on AI2, I knew I was watching a true "oldtime"
entertainer. There was something about that performance that made me take
notice. I have never wavered in that knowledge. While many talked about
genre and rock star/pop star I kept thinking uh uh, Clay can not be defined.
It's really hard to define a person who keeps growing and integrating more
and more into his being and that is who Clay is, IMO. His birthchart, with
5 planets in Sag. bears that out as well. This Man of Fire will not be
contained, defined and held back by anyone but himself. No matter what
anyone wants him to do, Clay will continue to do it his way and he will,
IMO, continue to discover his way as he expresses his amazing talent and
gets feedback. He thrives on the give and take and I don't believe it is
ever too much for him to be himself. He's a delight, a sight for sore eyes
and a man of magic. His voice is sublime, his artistry totally unique and
his growth and maturity is, to me, exciting and astounding. I wouldn't
change a thing about this man. Clay, continue to just be who you are. He's
a refreshing drink of cool, clear water after a long journey in the desert.
He is a star and he will be a greater star as time goes on. I believe he
has found his center and he is living from it. "

~skybar

"Not only is he comfortable
with 'us', I believe it goes a bit deeper. I think he now trusts 'us'.
I think Clay finally knows that 'we're' not going anywhere, that 'we' finally
know him, not performer Clay, but the man that he truly is, with all his
foibles and goofiness and kindness and dorkiness and baggage, and we like
him just as he is. No subterfuge, no artifice, just Clay."

~Shadylil

"The process that is Clay."
He will redefine entertainment with his downhome , yet razorsharp wit and
then slay with his music. I want Disney to write for him as well backing
him with the finest symphonic orchestras . He needs to be heard in the
best concert halls, theaters-he is our national treasure. I can't say this
enough. He will construct his own shows . THey will evolve."

~Divayenta

"He told us the newest
controversy coming to our newstands would be that he'd fathered some lovechild
with some woman he'd never met in college. He was telling us so we didn't
have to buy the smut. He was totally laughing the whole notion off."

~LyricAKP

"it hit me tonight as
I was listening to yet another cellcert where he had the audience alternately
splitting their sides with laughter and holding their breath at the sheer
power and beauty of his voice. And I was thinking about how he's getting
funnier every night and talking more, and finding ways to engage the audience
and always finding a comeback and somehow still managing to sound stronger-voiced
every night... he's honing his craft. This is who he is as an artist. Singing,
chatting, joke-telling, audience-teasing.... he's finding himself as an
entertainer. This is who he is. It has zero to do with genres or radio
play. And it's what's going to propel him from big star to legend one day."

~GBB

"People who become genuine
stars are slightly odd in some way, and then the world changes around them."

~Bill Condon

"I think he [Clay] is
just as "high profile" now as he was then, [three years ago] but he's in
a different category. Then, he was just off the highest-rated TV show in
America, a hot commodity, and, with Ruben, part of one of the most talked-about
rivalries of the year. He was new, he was different, he was undeniably
talented, but I also think it was taken for granted in a lot of people's
minds, possibly even his own (but NOT mine!), that he was a flavor of the
moment, and would fade when the next big thing (heh) came along.

Obviously, that didn't
happen. Three and a half years is a long time in the entertainment biz,
and other celebs have come and gone, but Clay is still there. There is
something about him, apart from his phenomenal talent, that has held people's
interest. And continues to hold it. His engaging personality? His philanthropic
causes? His distinctive look and sound? His skills as a raconteur? His
enigmatic qualities? The tabloid crap? All or some of the above? No idea.

But now, when all he has
to do is walk out of the house with a new haircut or hit a clunker onstage
or decide to open his front door to a local news crew or attempt to take
a cohosting job seriously, the entertainment shows feverishly cover every
second of it, blathering about it for a week afterward, referring to him
by first name only. Websites and blogs throw his name in there, however
gratuitously, just to get hits. To me, that reads as "established star"
rather than "flavor of the moment." Both equally "high profile," but a
very big difference in perception between the two."

~ Pink Armchair

"in my view, this isn't
a fandom that subsists on performance perfection and perfection alone,
but a fandom that subsists on the emotional resonance of Clay's every performance,
and the spirit, challenges, ambition and progress that each of his performances
embodies."

~43dudleyvillas

"There is something deep
and focused about him that comes forth when he misses the mark. It makes
him all the more determined to prevail. He is getting better and better
with this song after the missed note. He has such a strong, "I will show
the world" attitude."

~Barnett2

Corabeth wrote
[at The Conclayve]: "Now this is a killer
note. It is a high A and he holds it for 8 seconds. It's been a long time
since I read music but to me it sounds as high or higher than the note
from his stunning performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water on the American
Idol season 2 finale.

spotlightloverresponded:First, the issue of the
high pitches. Yes, the last note is an A. But Clay actually hits that same
pitch eight separate times in the last verse of the song.
Moreover, he hits a B-flat - a half tone higher than A, and the same note
that ends BOTW - three times in that last verse. So it's not just all about
the last note. It's that he's singing at the top of his range for the entire
last verse, which goes on (according to my Merrillville video) for a total
of 40 seconds, two-thirds of a full minute.

And in Merrillville, he
held the final A for a total of 13 seconds.

The stamina and control
required to do this is really amazing, especially after singing an hour's
worth of other songs. It's very much like trying to balance on a tightwire
only millimeters thick after running a marathon."

Code:

F# F#
A A D E F#
G F# G A A
Bb A F# G

Born is now Em- ma- nu-
el, born is our Lord and Sa- a- a- vior,

G A
Bb A F# G G
A Bb A F# G
E G A

Si- ing Al- le-
lu- ia, Si- ing Al- le- lu- ia, All is Well

The lowest note in AIW
is a low C, which is the lowest note we've heard him sing. Previously it
was a low D-flat in "Here You Come Again" on ATDW.

The range of this song
is almost a full two octaves, from the low C to a high B-flat. That's an
incredible range in a single song for a pop singer. Many pop songs are
less than an octave range, and 1 1/2 octaves is unusual for most singers
who aren't Mariah Carey.

Offhand, I don't know
the exact ranges of all Clay's songs. He has sung higher in other songs,
but only briefly. The high note on "smart-est" in Invisible is a high C,
but he barely hits it, and as we know he eliminated that in concert after
the IT. IIRC there was a high D in "The Girl is Mine" from the AI2 tour.
AFAIK the highest note we've ever heard him sing is a falsetto high G above
high C, in SSD on the Solo Tour. None of these songs has the low, low range
that we hear in AIW. So from a low C to the high falsetto G, that's a full
2 1/2 octave range that we've heard him sing at various times. "

~spotlightlover

"It really doesn't matter
how many times he hits or misses that note for the rest of the tour. He
has 18 shows in 23 days. He'll probably miss it again. But most wouldn't
even try it.

"This Clay was the one
I missed seeing last year -- the one you travel to see and spend money
on and root for and cherish and commiserate about and defend and celebrate.
The VOX is one thing -- and it is QUITE a thing! -- but his comfortable
embrace of us, the fans, was just as special. It was, finally, a complete
lovefest on both sides (and you know it's true, because you only tease
the ones you love)."

~Pink Armchair

"He planted his feet,
gripped the microphone stand and let it rip. Everyone all around me was
leaning forward, afraid to breathe, almost willing him through it, and
you could tell that he knew it. And when the time came, he grabbed the
mic stand, planted his feet, squeezed his eyes shut and it just...came
out. Wow. It was so gorgeous and so powerful. I heard a lot of gasps, and
then everyone simultaneously jumped to their feet, screaming and applauding
and jumping up and down."

" ...anyone who wasn't
charmed by his whole personality must have fallen asleep and missed most
of the show. The man's mind just never stops. Yes, he has pre-planned banter,
but he can go spontaneously in any direction when something ... anything
... catches his attention. I remember Ryan Seacrest making a comment one
time when the whole Ruben-Clay comparison was still at a high point. He
mentioned that it wasn't just enough any more to just sing well. The whole
ability to *present yourself* well and engage the audience plays a huuuuuge
part in making a 'star' out of a performer. I agree totally! With talent,
Clay earned his shot at the brass ring. With intelligence, wit, charm,
personality and all the personal attributes that allow him to turn from
goofy to 'gah' in the turn of a head ... he just is on a whole other level
than most performers today. He simply cannot be conveniently 'boxed', whether
it be by print media, [TV] radio, though an aging record exec might
try damn hard to do so. I think (and hope!) that he will always push whatever
limits are set before him.

~Fountaindawg

"I
wish I could describe "it". . . . Sometimes I've seen/felt a kind of golden
energy around Clay Aiken, during an appearance or concert. Those times
when the fans agree he was "just glowing". That's one thing I think Clay
brings to his singing that others don't or can't. It doesn't always come
through, but when it does, there's nothing like it anywhere. When he really
pours that golden essence of himself into a song, freely giving himself
over to "it" and letting it flow from him, I feel that glow in his voice.
When I close my eyes, I can almost see it. I want to wear it. I want to
put it on and wrap it around me because it's already in and over and through
me. It's as if the sounds and words are bigger somehow, wrapped in this
wonderful soft or bright or hot or radiant "it"...lifted up higher, pushed
into form and substance with such great joy or longing or pain or sensual
pleasure...His voice is all warm and love and Clay.

I
don't know how to explain those sensations of relaxed elation, of joy,
of sorrow...how to describe the slow twist in my chest and the thick ache
in my throat when he breaks my heart yet again with his voice. How to describe
the idiotic grin that comes from nowhere and lingers long after the song
is finished. . . . Whatever "it" is, it's sure working for me. So, if anyone
else even half-way feels the same way, then we'll just agree ahead of time
that neither of us is really crazy. Okay? It'll be our secret. :) "

"It ['Everything I Have']
has a lovely, haunting melody. The lyrics are poignant and open to several
interpretations. And I love his voice on it. It caresses you, tickles the
soft spots and makes you hold your breath a little. It's the kind of song
a room quiets to hear when an artist is singing it. The kind of song that
makes you turn up the radio."

~AgingHippie

"Sometimes I feel Clay
is a celebrity scapegoat in the pop culture. It's the easy and cheap laugh.
It's also because he refuses to engage and is determined to be true to
himself. I find this powerfully moving. In a business of smoke and mirrors,
illusion and false fronts, this man is an affront. Having lots of empowered,
older women as his fans also goes against the patriarchal cultural set-up.
He and we are changing the culture for the better. As the fabulous Kathy
Bates suggested, we have insurance."

~Divayenta

"I didn't memorize my
lines at all; I kind of made them up as I went along", he confesses. "I'm
not very good at memorizing and so I thought I would just say what came
naturally and fortunately they were willing to let me do that. Stephen
and Mary Beth were just really phenomenal to work with. I can't remember
the words to my own songs much less words they write in the script for
me".

~Clay Aiken in
Soap Opera Digest regarding the Days Of Our Lives shoot

I think Karma is still
at work here. Clay got a lot of buzz just when Christmas shopping is around
the corner...Rosie probably got a slight ratings boost the next day...and
Kelly will have a hard time erasing the diva shrew hypocrite image she
showed her audience and thats a gift that will keep on giving. more...

~samtaycai

"The irony kills me. The American Music Awards. Clay Aiken is a fantastic
singer. He's on the show for a few seconds. He doesn't GET an award, he
doesn't SING. He's being ignored, shoved aside, as if he's a nobody. THey
give him a small insignificant part. No singing - He reads a cue card.

The next day, who is everyone
talking about? Not the winners, not the performers. They're talking about
the guy who read a cue card."

~Judy

"It's been blown way out
of proportion. I wasn't there, he was pinchhitting for me, what's his name
again? He got a little nervous, it is kind of a spontaneous show and he
reached out and wanted to say something. It's not a big deal really."

~Regis Philbin

"Tomorrow, Aiken will
be filling in for Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News."

~Keith Olberman

"So in Kelly's bazarro
world Howard Stern is the standard bearer for honoring womankind, and Clay
Aiken is disrespectful of women. The sky must be green there, too."

~Proqfreq

"Who would have ever thought
3 years ago that Jimmy Kimmel would have more CLASS than Kelly Rippa???"

~kalekona

"I still believe the evidence
of my own eyes and ears. Bottom line: Clay Aiken strode into the television
studio and made. me. laugh.

Whatever distorted thinking
was happening beneath Kelly Ripa's smiling mask and why remains a mystery.
To my eyes, he meant no harm and did no lasting harm...so whatever spiteful
damage she tries to serve him will inevitably return to her. That's the
way of the universe.

Love wins."

~00Isee

"She set herself up by
her past dissing (in her mind "funning") of Clay. Be prepared to take a
little ribbing yourself, honey!"

~Divayenta

Re: The UNICEF Snowflake
Lighting:"Great fun, great friends
and then the chance to see Clay in something other than an entertainment
element, where he was still a star but this time in an industry that looks
at his soul as much as his hair (which looked FABULOUS)."

~Corabeth

"Clay Aiken is still out
there, using his fame to support worthy causes and sell Christmas albums.
In that respect, Clay Aiken is the Bono of "American Idol."

Hmmm.. differences of
the guy in the picture on our
banner vs. the one at the CH: The guy on the CH
banner would pick you up for a date, at the door, walk you to the car
and open it for you, hold your hand while you get in and maybe kiss you
on the cheek as he closed the door. The
guy in our banner, would be waiting by the car (in this pose) would
turn to open the door for you, but not before he backed you up against
the car and kissed you till your socks came off. I pick door number two,
but wouldnt walk away from door number one!

"I love that he blogged
but I also love how he blogged. He made the comment on LKL about not wanting
to give the haters the attention they crave. I think his latest blog is
a perfect example of how he is able to address the situation but not give
any attention or power to the person who caused it. He's quite a remarkable
young man, IMO. He has been given the beautiful gift of his singing voice
but his gifts extend so far beyond that. He continues to amaze and impress
me with how he lives his life and handles adversity."

~Beagle2

"Clay has so many gifts
to give. His beautiful voice, his compassionate heart, his caring attitude
towards others, especially those with disabilities, both inside and out,
his humor, his intellect. I really do love the way he's going about being
a celebrity. It hasn't turned his head and he takes every opportunity to
learn from all his activities."

~Shadylil

"In everyone's life,
at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into
flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all
be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."Clay rekindled my inner
spirit."

~ER

"Why do we love him? Has
anyone ever figured out why a person loves another? What is curious to
me, is why it is such a "group" lovefest. Why do so many people with varied
backgrounds and interests love this one man? There must be one common denominator,
a connecting emotion felt by all. The voice is one thing, but I believe
it is the way Clay can connect to his audience emotionally. I think he
made that connection on AI, when he would reach through space and time
and touch each viewer in an individual way. It was as if he was looking
and singing "just to you." In concert, he does the same thing only more
so. He is spellbinding and a mass hypnotist. He tries to share the stage,
but it never works. All eyes are focused on this one man."

Heck, it is just magic."

~Barnett2

Re:
the CD Sneak Preview of 'A Thousand Different Ways'

"This album is exquisite.
We are treated to Clay's voice in ways that I've never heard. Upon
my many listens, I heard growls, groans, heavy breathing, low notes, high
notes, oohs, aahs, babys, unbridled sexiness, sensitivity, vulnerability,
beautiful arrangements, incredible harmonies, stunning instrumentation,
well articulated verses, catchy beats, maturity, pain, vocal ability like
no other and that's just naming a few things. This album has EVERYTHING,
and I do mean everything. I can't get enough of it. It's truly
the one most beautiful thing I've ever had the pleasure of listening to
and I couldn't be any happier with the end result. I have NO complaints...
only a sincere amount of gratitude for Clay and everyone involved
with making this album a reality. What Clay has given to us in this album...
it is EVERY BIT HIM!! Jaymes [Jaymes Levy- the executive Producer
of the album] captured the true beauty of Clay's voice and he delivered
it to us... boy did he ever!! ATDW, IMO... is truly a masterpiece
and it deserves industry recognition. I pray that everyone gives
this beautiful work of art, a chance.y It truly is... a work of art!
"

~Lori Tambellini

"This is what I have
been hearing...and now I understand why. THIS is what cannot be described,
only experienced. THIS is what we know, what others will soon discover.
But the buzz has been building. It's about to explode.

Believe it.

It's just starting.

There are just no words.
Clay needs a new dictionary for what he has created. There are just no
words. But there is a place somewhere in the heavens for where this will
send us.

It's called ecstasy."

~calliek

"Get ready to swoon when
CLAY AIKEN sings "Without You" from his platinum-in-waiting disc, A Thousand
Different Ways".

"I've been on a roller
coaster ride with my emotions over the promotion of Clay's CD -- however,
for me, the one abiding feeling that won't let go -- is -- it's Clay. It's
Clay singing. It's songs I've not heard or seen him sing before I.cannot.wait.
I know he is going to amaze everyone (well, maybe not "everyone" since
there are some who will never like his music and those who pick apart everything
he does -- sadly it's the way of world today it seems).

Clay deserves better,
no doubt in my mind, but it is what it is. I cannot believe that the time
is almost nigh when we will see him again. That beautiful man with his
amazing voice is soon to be on my TV. If I could wave a magic wand and
have it all for him, I would. However, I think there are powers working
behind the scenes -- working for him. I feel so sure in my heart about
that.

I think this CD is one
that will "grow" the numbers -- as more and more people will hear Clay
sing these songs. JT, Beyonce', Christina will have their successes --
but Clay will also have his -- I believe it's in the stars. "

~ClaySTO

"Mr. Clayton Aiken of
North Carolina will not be in the Bush administration. He will be advising
the administration and I hope sincerely that they would listen.

Congratulations, Clay,
for being empowered more and more to make a difference.

Now that I've been completely
and utterly exonerated from propounding the Shock-and-Awe CD PR, I'd reveal
my belief, from the beginning, that Clay would definitely awe people into
supporting him in his commercial and altruistic endeavors. Shock is easy
and cheap, as attempted by many everyday everywhere just for its sake,
but "Awe" takes substance, against people's will and resistance. So Clay's
label does not pay for radio plays, nor has he been linked timely and romantically
with another celebrity needing publicity, but no hype or money can buy
the kind of PR Clay can generate or garner. Who else dropping an album
gets a presidential appointment to a national advisory committee? Who could
generate such buzz with just a brief TV appearance, with a new hairdo?
Who is turning hard-nosed critics around with the sheer beauty of his voice?
I have always believed that Clay is respected by those who really count,
those with real knowledge and power in the industry, and the main media,
all of whom never give any credence to any of the persistent filthy smear
campaigns against him. (A prissily dressed hypocrite must be smacking herself
right now.) The world will be awed,
because Clayton Aiken is awesome. Resistance is futile."

~ propounder

"...Clay has devoted considerable
charitable efforts to this cause, so it's not a random celebrity appointment.
Interesting ...

From
Comments:"Clay also has a degree
in Special Education, completed AFTER he was on AI and during the time
he was touring and recording an album. He also founded the Bubel Aiken
Foundation during this same time period.

So
Clay being appointed to this position is in no way just a celebrity appointment.
He has been to Capital Hill several times, the first being in July 2003,
to lobby on behalf of Special Education issues.

While some AI alum are
out hacking this product or that, Clay has been making a "real" difference."

"Sometimes worrying about
CD sales or endorsement deals become very unimportant when you look at
the larger picture. UNICEF ambassador and now Presidential Appointee. Well
done Mr. Aiken. Making a difference, indeed. He truly has set the standard
and set the bar high for Idol success. His Plan A will always be a viable
option for him, just on a much high level.""American Idol" Coordinating
Producer Patrick Lynn said producers are always judging auditioners.

~cindilu2s

"It takes us five to 30
seconds (to decide who's going on to the next round)," Lynn said. "It took
me two seconds to know (season two runner up) Clay Aiken would go on."

"I think only those who
have attended Clay's concerts personally or vicariously. like myself, know
what a great entertainer he is. The AI watchers and the general public
know him as a singer and fans who follow his career and life know him also
as a humanitarian. His career move and challenge may well be to let it
be known that he is a great entertainer as well. He may still have his
five or more Midas years(tm Elton John) as a singer to come but longevity
will be his as an entertainer, and even as a public personality, the opposite
kind to Paris Hilton, with real talent, big heart and irresistible charisma.
He will learn to garner and capitalize on the power and his life may continue
to be a great story that people are interested in."

~propounder

Regarding new album sales (First posted in 2005--
still holds true)

"...Naturally, I can't
know what the future holds for Clay Aiken's sophomore album...but I sincerely
believe in the power of projecting positive thoughts about it into the
cosmos. So, whatever fears may wash over me upon reading dubious or cautious
speculation about his continued success, I will still be busily countering
these painful vibes with as much hopeful energy as I can muster. It's all
I can do to lift him up right now, so I do it.

I have total confidence
in Clay...He's smart and talented and has surrounded himself with smart
and talented people. I also think the mysterious, shimmering fabric of
popular culture has snagged its threads on Clay Aiken and has woven him
firmly in.

So when I think of Clay
Aiken: Back for More (or whatever he chooses to call it), I focus and imagine
words like "Power", "Persuasion", "Beauty", "Truth", "Growth", "Legs",
and most passionately of all, I think "Hits"..."Hits"..."HITS"...I think
this word so fervently sometimes I can almost smell it...

There.

Did you feel that? That
electric tingle at the nape of your neck? The skittering gooseflesh up
your arms? The growing sense of anticipation quivering in your throat?
The wild, sweet surge of joy? I'm feeling it. I'm living and breathing
it!

Life is too short for
me to dream small. For Clay, I'm dreaming BIG. Where Clay is concerned,
I'm going for broke! Completely, whole-heartedly committed to the promise
I see in this man, whatever comes. Fear? Dread? Worry? No. I don't have
the energy to spare, so I reject them. Rational? Logical? Practical? I
shake my head rebelliously...I'll face facts later, only if I have to.
Looking up from the spreadsheets and what-ifs, I instead fix eager eyes
on that glowing horizon and smile. Clouds? They dare not rain on my hopes.
Until that unknown future "someday" becomes "now", I'll be running toward
it...full out, risking top speed on unfamiliar terrain, my arms flung wide
open...Willing to be reckless...even if I fall or fail.

Quote: Entertainment
Weekly Interviewer Dianne Austin: Benji, you know I’m kind of re-living
an experience. And I’ve gotta tell you what it is. I’m a big Clay Aiken
fan and I don’t know if you know it or not but a lot of people are reminded
of Clay when they watch you. Ironically, so much of what you’re talking
about is what Clay went through on his season of American Idol.

Benji:
Really?

EW:
Oh
sure, with Ruben (Studdard.) And he was roommates with Kim Locke, and oh
my gosh, it’s just amazing—it’s like history repeating itself. But you
have a huge fan base from his fan base!

Benji:
(Laughing) That’s interesting. A lot of the fan girls that talk
about me online—there’s sometimes a picture of me standing next to Clay
Aiken—which I don’t know how that happened because I’ve never met the guy
in my life—but the comparison is always being made. If that’s true—I’m
really flattered. I mean, 30 million people really like Clay Aiken! It’s
actually quite an honor to be compared to him."

"Presales
are going around the world with Amazon.com. Did you know that there are
hundreds of Clay Aiken blogs (lots are new) set up by fans? Did you know
that there is a Clay Aiken fan Club in almost every state for local fans
and that some states have 2 and 3 clubs. Yesterday - I tried to go through
and research the amount of Clay Aiken fan sites and Message boards with
fan memberships that were still active. I found 476 fan sites and I came
across 62 active message boards and haven't counted dozens more that I
couldn't view because you had to be a member with a password. The smallest
board had only 38 members and one of the largest had well over 15,000 members.
I couldn't count a lot of the Yahoo groups, nor a lot of the MSN groups
because again - you had to have a password to view. I knew that several
had large fan memberships. I didn't count the international fan sites but
did look at a few - in Singapore, philippines, and a Korean fan club with
over 10,000 members. Did you know that the Neurox Idol Forum has 53,941
registered members and that Clay Aiken has the largest amount of active
users? His site has 45,602 topics with 989,855 replies, and had 764 active
users within 20 minutes this evening at 11:30! The next highest membership
participation group is for Carrie Underwood with 8708 topics and 135,941
replies. I thought this interesting. Also something else I found to be
interesting was on a fan site in the Philippines where a young girl was
discussing that she was a brand new fan of Clay's and had never seen him
before his performance on the American Idol finale in May. There were quite
a number of new fans. ..."

~Unknown

I
asked her [RCA Markenting] about the promotion and she said you're going
to start seeing stuff over the next couple of weeks. She said for this
type of album we want to concentrate promo as we get near album drop. I
said for this type of album as in love song covers? She said no, for a
superstar artist.

~Corabeth

"I
have to say after hearing ['Without You'] over and over, this voice is
spectacular it is the best we have ever heard. He hits every single note
to perfection. There is no drag, no hesitation, no dropped notes and his
melisma is absolute perfection. Now knowing you I have to ask is it Clay
Aiken. If it is and I think it is, he is one to be reckoned with in the
music industry."

~Music
director of an unnamed university ( after being sent the song without
being told who the singer was)

"I
forgot to mention before that I love the new hair. Makes him look darker
and more brooding. Of course, that'll go out the window when he shows up
giggling on Leno, talking about how Eastern Europe is colder than mess,
but for now, he's sort of mysterious."

~PiddlyPink

"Living
at the edge of a forest, dusk is my favorite time of day. Before the changing
of the guard the world grows quiet and the air is heavy with a woodsy fragrance.
All during the day I’m serenaded by all different kinds of birds with lovely
voices but as it darkens one by one fall silent. Suddenly on a rare occasion
an oriole will grace me with a glorious rhapsody, like a flute of an angle,
bidding farewell to the day. Takes my breath away! I become elevated in
spirit.

There
are moments like this for me in Clay’s voice. When he hits those pure tones,
when I hear a rhapsody, he too elevates me to a new plane.

I
hear promise of many of these moments on this CD listening to this one
song, I will have my nirvana at the edge of the forest whenever I want,
and I only have to push play."

~Kupkake

""Wow.
I still have a hard time relating how he looked early on with the voice
that comes out of him. I know he's good, but I still always expect the
shallow kind of pop stuff you hear on the radio to come out of him because
that's all you hear from pop stars, but he sings with SO many layers and
richness and depth...it's like nothing else you've ever heard. When he
sings that song, it's not like anyone has ever sung it before...it's just
his and sounds like he's owned it forever."

~Unknown-
posted by "CantDecide"

"I
wavered about posting...it's tough to share things when you know every
syllable will be scrutinized and analyzed.

But
after listening to Without You for the innumerable time...

One
of the persons whose comments I have shared had hinted early on that this
would be the leader. He's been around a long time and has worked, in different
capacities, with both Nilsson and Mariah. He told me that, for him, there
could never be another version of WY, to stand up to Nilsson's. He was
impressed with Mariah's, but he said Nilsson owned the song as far as he
was concerned. Until he heard Clay.

"I
was utterly blown away. He pulls you in immediately, and it's like you
know your heart is about to be ripped open but you're pleading for it to
happen. And then it does and he just fills it until it bursts again. There
is something in his vocal prowess. I can't explain it. I just know I am
experiencing something phenomenal. I have never been a fan of covered songs.
Obviously. But this is an altering experience."

And...this
is coming from a guy.

Radio?

"Radio
should be all over this. But you know what? The power of him is going to
get him everywhere he needs to be."

There
are major things coming for Clay, he's not going to be short-shifted as
many have feared. It's coming, and it will be a torrent. Just listen to
the passionate crescendo in that voice. The power of him is going to get
him everywhere he needs to be. That...pretty much says it all.

Clay
is, after all, an altering experience. He is about to alter the daylights
out of an awful lot of people."

~calliek

"I
go from his voice washing over me to wanting to crawl inside that voice
and just curl up -- from feeling those low notes reverberating inside me
-- to riding and soaring as his voice lifts me to the heavens .... "

~ClaySTO

"I
can't explain what I'm feeling, or how, or why...I only know that I truly
do have confidence that whatever was/might be/is coming, however long it
takes, or whatever form it takes, Clay will triumph."

~00Isee

Since
AI2, Clay has been under minute scrutiny, and we have found no contradictions
in him. As we fans continue to read one another’s articles and blogs,
we reconfirm what each one of us has individually observed in Clay and
considers to be the absolute truth.

We
are not a fan base chasing after an “image”. We are dedicated to
flesh and blood, to a very real human being with flaws and who can make
mistakes and who can fail. We know Clay in more depth than we know
many of our friends and acquaintances because he has invited us in.

When
Clay takes the stage, he is really selling himself, using his music as
the vehicle. He is straight forward and unpretentious.He
lives by what he says and makes his time count for purposes beyond himself.
He gives much more than he receives, often without his being aware of it.
If what he is doing involves satisfying only himself, he moves on.

I
believe one of the things that most impressed Clay’s audiences early on
in the AI competition was a portion of one of his bio clips. Clay
grabbed his ears and demonstrated his self-abasing sense of humor by stating,
“I will always have these; I don’t mind.” Later he commented, “I
am happy with my style and comfortable with who I am.” How many of
us can honestly say that?

I
believe this incident led people to look past Clay’s obvious vocal talent
to determine just what he possessed that produced such confidence and joy.
In examining him more closely, they discovered and adopted many of the
ideals and goals Clay has set for himself. They became dedicated
fans, and they have become better individuals in the process.

The
truth in Clay is his driving force. It is why we stay with this man.
It is what we have experienced and what has changed us. It has brought
us new horizons and has renewed our inner strength. It has finally
compelled us to pass along this truth to others. Indeed, truth can
make us free.

~Mitzi
Gill

"I
have instructed my attorneys to not only vigorously dispute the claims
that have been made but to also pursue all possible remedies against those
involved in the perpetration of these untruths.""As
a so-called `celebrity' I have become used to scurrilous allegations and
untruths being made about me and my work. I have always taken the path
of not reacting to these matters and have accepted them as, somehow, coming
with the `job.' However, I cannot, and will not, stand by when these
attacks are made on my family."

~Clay
Aiken in a statement released by RCA

"It
was indeed a forceful and elegant response, although it saddens me that
he had to make a statement at all. Someone found his Achilles heel and
exploited it, and Clay felt compelled to respond.

Yes,
he's angry, but he has to be hurting, too. No one wants their family's
dignity {messed] with. Clay is not a litigious man, but he is a loyal man.
But my heart breaks a little bit to know that someone was able to provoke
a response from him. I know he'll prevail in court, but even the victor
loses a little bit of himself: faith, momentum, energy, time, focus.

I'm
saddened he has to deal with this. Having said that, I do hope his attorneys
go all Clay Aiken fan on her."

~Jemock

[In
reference to Clay's recording of 'Broken Wings' on his upcoming CD 'A Thousand
Different Ways']

"I'm
a little biased, but I think it's AWESOME. In fact, Richard Page, from
Mr. Mister, heard it and said that it's his favorite arrangement that he's
ever heard, and he's heard the song recorded 100's of times?!I'm
so excited! My brother also worked on Clay's last Christmas record. It
was a nice compliment for him to want to work with my brother again...."

~
From a Non-Clay message board-posted by the sister of Eman, who worked
with Clay on the song

"This
past week, and most probably after viewing the new and very yummy pictures
of boyfriend, I developed an irregular heartbeat and ended up in the hospital.
While there I was taken for a battery of tests, some of which rivaled the
tortures of the Dark Ages, and in each case had a medical transport team
who would "drive" me to my next torture. One of those trips included a
really cute young guy in his early twenties who entertained me singing
some of the current popular songs as we discussed our lives. He told me
how cool I was for a middle aged old lady. Then he asked who my favorite
singer was. Without losing a beat I exclaimed "Clay Aiken". "Oh no", he
exclaimed, "You just lost some of your cool points dude". (Why are women
dudes these days?) Of course, he got the standard Clay fan diatribe about
if only you had seen him in concert, and then there was "When Doves Cry
and Elvis and even Ricky Martin". At that point he was laughing hysterically
saying it was hard to believe, but if I was there. He then told me his
sister, his mother and every other female he knows on earth was in love
with Clay and maybe he had better take another look. And here is the really
funny part, as we continued down the hall toward my torture chamber, he
suddenly broke out in song again and warbled, quite admirably I might add,
the entire song "Invisible".

Lastly,
the first day in this Catholic hospital they sent a chaplain to pray over
me. In this case, it was a little African American nun with a very heavy
accent. I learned long ago that prayers, blessings, wishings, spells, healings,
and love from any person are good things and not to be avoided no matter
your personal feelings. So I let her go on with her heartfelt wishes for
me. When she had finished I asked her where she was from. She said, "A
place in Africa called Uganda, do you know it". Well I don't have to tell
any of you what followed next from my mouth, always eager to make more
points for our collective boyfriend. As I talked about Clay and his trip
to Uganda and the support of the fandom and all I had learned about the
situation from him she smiled broadly. She then said, "Yes I know all about
him from my sisters back in Uganda. He is a blessing to this world and
you are blessed to know him". "

~Ananka

"My
mailroom guy, all excited, came running into my office today waving the
press release from PR Newswire, which he had pulled off the main fax machine
just for me. Awwww. My boss was in the room, and asked what it was. I read
it to her, including the song list. and her reaction was hilarious:

Me:
"Right Here Waiting..."

Her:
Oooh, I love that song...

Me:
"When I See You Smile..."

Her:
What? Really? Oooh! Oooh!

Me:
"Without You..."

Her:
OMG! OMG!

Me:
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word..."

Her:
Get outta here! No way! That's...wow!

Me:
"Because You Loved Me..."

Her:
Yesss! Yesss! Yesss!

Me:
"Everytime You Go Away..."

Her:
I love that! I can't wait! EEEEEEEEEE!

...well,
you get the idea. By the end, I wanted what SHE was having. *g*

Then
I printed off a copy of the [ photo of Clay leaning against the books with
his hand in his pocket ] and...

...well,
let's just say that I think the Clayversion is complete, given her disappointed
expression at the release date. I think she wants that release...right...NOW.
"

~Pink
Armchair

"I
just heard a GREAT DJ mention about Clay, and I raced back to my office
to tell y'all. I was in Staples (NO, not buying a router!) and they have
a radio station playing and its Breakaway (Kelly). When the song finished,
she says that is Kelly Clarkson there, and then she she says ...

"Speaking
of another Idol alumn, did you see that picture of Clay Aiken in USA Today
yesterday?" She is now speaking to the female traffic reporter who's about
to do an update. "He looked so cute."

The
traffic reporter says "No, he wasn't cute... he was HOT!"

The
DJ then says to her "Uh oh you have a new crush? Well you know Clay's new
album "A Thousand Different Ways" is set to be released on September 19th
and...."

The
Traffic reporter kinda cuts her off and says kinda in a dry and blunt manner
"thousand different ways I could get down with Mr. Aiken..."

There
is laughing and some cross- talk I can't understand...mind you I am frozen
in the store staring up at the speakers looking completely moronic at this
point.

The
DJ then says something about the album being a lot of 80's covers, and
I hear her mention the Celine song, Mr. Mister song, and the Bon Jovi written
song.

The
traffic reporter then says something like "mmmmmm, yep. When's that album
released again?"DJ
says September 19th again, and then says something about her giving up
Josh Holloway from Lost for Clay... "

~lylekira

"I'm
ready for another wild ride with Clay. He has yet to disappoint me. There
seems to be a pattern with what he does. Some love it all and others are
really disappointed but in the end, most of us find our happy place again.
For those who don't or can't then hopefully they will stick around for
what is next. If not, there will be others who come aboard. I wouldn't
miss anything Clay does. Life is, for me, too fleeting, too short, to miss
the beauty of this man and his talent. I'm going to take in all that he
does and savor it. I doubt I'll ever find anyone like him again, in my
life. I'm old enough to know that the rarity of Clay Aiken is not coming
around again in my lifetime, if ever."

~skybar

Said
Clay: [Re: New Album]

"These
are songs I heard growing up. I loved them then and I still love them today,
but we decided to do them a little differently. They have new arrangements,
and we put our own style on some of them."

He
expounded further: "This is an album of love songs, but they are about
all different kinds of love. Romantic love, friendship, unconditional love.
There are a thousand different kinds of love; a thousand different ways
to tell someone you love them. And, on top of that, since so many of these
songs are covers, it's realistic to say that many of them have been or
could be sung a thousand different ways."

Clay,
as you can see, is also sporting the same basic coiffure he showed off
on the Idol finale, though I must say he looks quite dashing here.

"He
hasn't done anything yet that hasn't made me feel something. There's that
indescribable quality in his voice that just does things to me and it does
transcend the song and the lyrics for me. I can't say that about any other
artist. I've been studying energy therapy this past year and I'm a believer
in the heart chakra theory someone posted a long time ago. I believe that,
for me, when he sings my heart chakra opens up wide and accepts whatever
he offers right into my core."

~beagle2

"As
an artist and creator myself, I want to say...

With
everything Clay does, he is putting not only a product out there, but himself...an
extension of his very inner self. I know this, acutely. It is exciting...it
is nerve-racking...it is painful...it is as raw as it gets. It's the very
core of your being laid bare for the world. Sure, you have had to succumb
to the visions of others...or their visions of your visions. But it's still...YOU.

You
want everyone to like it. You know some will hate it. You know there will
be a lot who will be all over the place. But...you really, really want
acceptance. You crave the passion of just one...then maybe two...or three...or
a few...or several...or many. You just want people to "get" you. To know
what you feel, who you are, what brought you to where you are...what makes
you create. You want to be seen and heard and felt. And yes...you really,
really want to be embraced.

You
know it won't happen universally. But you just hope so much.

I
believe Clay, like any artist, is putting himself out there.

For
that alone, I love him."

~calliek

"...I
was sitting here in the Clayden with WY blasting on the stero.. when I
thought I heard the door buzzer.. ran to the office without turning down
the stereo and sure enought there stood a couple ..in the mid twenties..
well he was 25 according to his drivers license..any way Clay was blaring
so I said please excuse me while I go turn the volumn down.. and the guy
say WAIT.. who is that!!.. I turned around and just looked at him..he said
..who is that .. My God that is beautiful.. then the girl said.. I have
never heard that song what is it.. I said Without You.. and he again asked
who is singing that it's magnificant.. giving me chills..I said Clay Aiken..and
he said no way.. no way.. I said yes way..that is a song on his new CD
coming out 9-19....he turned to the girl and said good lord we have to
get that..she said I absolutely love it.. it gives me chills and makes
me want to cry at the same time..needless to say I rented the room :laugh
they left and before I could get back to the clayden they were back in
the office and he asked if I minded if I could give them a copy.. I told
him I couldnt but he sure could barrow this one for the night... he thanked
me .. and right now I can hear Clay singing in the parking lot."

I
went to the office about 20 minutes ago and checked in another guest..
and looked out side .. and [saw] the young couple still sitting in the
car .. I could still hear Clay singing..and they were kissing..."

Clay
is magic.."

~ClayPerfect

"This
is just the beginning. And yes, it HAS started. Rumors, speculations, timelines...it's
here.

Yes,
there will be some who don't like one thing or another. But it's what he
has lived and breathed and believed in for many months. It's what he has
created. He is excited. I am excited.

While
I would never make judgments based on snippets and the limited quality
of their sound, I can hear--and feel--the radiance of the VOICE. That is
all I need. He will take me again...only this time, to places I have never
been. He will command and control.

Believe
me...this is just a tease. Be tickled, be tantalized, be intrigued...we
haven't seen--or heard--anything yet.

Even
if I'd heard nothing...months ago or recently...even if I knew nothing
but what I read from Clay...it would be enough. I feel his giddiness, his
pride, and his presence. He's been ready...we've been ready.

And
now...it's time...to savor him again."

~calliek

"I'll
just say that I am filled with joy tonight. Clay is still here, still making
music, growing as an artist.

He
seems so happy, with his work and with his fans.

There's
little I can tell from the fifty or so seconds of the two song snippets
that I heard today, other than to think that I might just love the duet
(which logic dictates will be balanced, I believe) and I have accepted
that Clay lurves him some ATD. [1000 Days] Good --- I love seeing him passionate
about his music.

Are
two songs representative of twelve or more? Are they simply two of many
different ways to express love? Will Clay kick it up a dozen notches on
other numbers and rock out? Will his beautiful and breathtaking voice shine
out on an acoustic number that will bring me to tears?

Will
he growl?

Will
he wail?

Will
he show the world more than they know of him?

I
don't need to know the answers tonight, because now, at long last, I know
when I will have the answer.

Fifty
days.

September
19, 2006 - Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways.

I
am ready to celebrate.

If
you're not celebrating tonight, I hope that in fifty days, you will be."

~berkeley

"I
commend Clay for believing in a cause that helps children who need it...pure
and simple.

Obviously,
politics is a sticky wicket...which is why UNICEF states absolutely they
are apolitical. I am certain that when the need presents itself in ANY
country where children need help, UNICEF will try to allocate resources.
Yet, I'm also certain they need to prioritize those who need it most at
any particular time. It's not an endless pot of money.

Giving
money to UNICEF now means not only helping children in Lebanon, but helping
build a resource base that will be there for the next tragedy...be it a
tsunami in Asia or a hurricane in New Orleans.

Btw...I
would bet that there were people around the world who thought that UNICEF
shouldn't spend it's resources helping the "richest country in the world"
after Katrina, or disagreed with U.S. political leaders as well. I'm just
happy UNICEF looks past those things and honestly does help children who
need it most.

He
really does give us a thousand different ways to love him, doesn't he?"

~CantDecide

"Clay
is a man of acceptance and welcoming. He prefers to look at the positive
rather than the negative. Hedoes
not criticize, judge, or exclude. Instead of tearing down or throwing
away, he restores."

~Mitzi
Gill

"That
Clay Aiken --- I wouldn't kick him out of bed. OOPS I mean, I admire and
respect his talent and am glad to be a member of the human race. Y'know.
And the bed part."

~Erin

"I
know nothing about how the music industry works - but I would think that
there's a very definite timeline of PR planned and every thing is done
for a specific reason. I just can't imagine that RCA is telling Clay -
let's tell your fans all about your album and Clay's saying - nah, it's
too much fun to tease them unmercifully. I would imagine that the press
release date is set and up to that date, there will be a leaking of a little
information. Today I think Clay gave us what he thought was a bit of a
gift - some information at the fan club prior to the actual release. He
and Jaymes confirmed the title. Jaymes confirmed that she heard the fans
when they said that they wanted Clay's voice to be front and center. After
MOAM that was one of the things many fans expressed. She said they heard.
Do I wish I knew more? Sure. Do I wish I had a track list? You bet. Do
I wish they leaked a bit of the first single? Oh my yes! But I think all
those things are forthcoming. They just aren't coming all on the same day.
Some people's patience is wearing thin and I can certainly understand that.
There are days when I just want a single sooooo badly. But I don't think
Clay or Jaymes are trying to torture us. I think they are telling us whatever
they can within the PR guidelines that are being set by RCA. I'm prepared
to sit back and see where this ride takes me. I can't wait."

~NanJeanne

NOTE:
Below applies to Clay, as many already know.

"There
are people who look extremely manly, but are not. And people who don't
look manly, but are. Fred Rogers, with his silly puppets and cardigan sweaters,
was at the opposite end of the spectrum from Russell Crowe, Jesse Ventura
and The Arnold. But he was confident of his belief in the power of love,
and he had the courage to extend respect and appreciation to all, despite
the risk of ridicule. The moral force of this soft, gentle man was fearsome.

Indeed,
a manly man can be a gentleman--"a manly man with polish and perfection,"
Mansfield writes, gentle "out of policy, not weakness."

Bravery
in battle is manly, but it's not necessary to make war to be manly. Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr. was manly. So was Nelson Mandela. So, for that matter,
was Jesus. In the face of physical risk and hostility, they demonstrated
manliness by seeking peace.

In
showing greatness of soul, they became better than manly men. They became
heroes."

"I
miss him. I miss his tugs and his growls and his snark and
his smile and his wonderful dancing and those lucious green eyes and looking
at him in jeans and his voice (that really goes without saying) and his
freckles and his walk and his teasing nature and his laugh and his "town
forum talks" on stage and his, his, his...well, you get the picture.
I just really miss him!"

~Phillyb-daymom1

"It
seems like a long time. In so many ways, it has been. AI...the Raleigh
hometown connections...the tug...the Rolling Stone cover...the TITN video
that never was...kind of...

But
it's only a laser of light from a very bright meteor. We have so much to
see. He's constantly firing off sparks, you know? Some tiny, almost infinitesimal...others
wild and flaring, hot and explosive. But he's always firing...he is right
this very moment.

I
heard hot July. I believed it and I still do.

The
calendar really is inconsequential. He's firing and the flames will reach.
They're licking now. We feel them and so does he.

I
feel the heat. Do you?"

~calliek

"I
have intimate experience with Sagittarius. They are the master of the Big
Tease. But make no mistake. There is always something serious at the root
of it all. There is a goal. And they will achieve it. But they will have
a lot of fun--at your expense--along the way.

They
are adventure personified...the grittier the better.

Moral
to the story? This is just the beginning of the Clay most would never expect.
There's a LOT more where this comes from. I have shared what I heard about
expecting the unexpected...about the unconventional...just throw out everything
that swims in your mind and think about a swimming hole bathed in a ray
of moonlight that seems to keep changing hue. But it's growing steadier
and it has a strange glow.

Hear
the cackle. Yeah, he knows...more than just our words. He knows what we're
waiting for. He knows what he has to give. He knows.

And
he's enjoying it.

Eyes...lips...wisp
of hair...cheeks...chin...neck...shoulders...smirk...wit.

He
knows. But he's toying with us. It's something we will come to expect and
revel in.

It's
all part of the love affair. Even if he's a goof...and he is. He can draw
up into the sophisticate he really is in a millisecond. And cast a look,
say a word...open his mouth...and become that lean lothario that knows
what we want, what we need, what we will give.

Today,
letters...tomorrow our hearts. Again."

~calliek

"One
of my errands today included stopping at the hardware store and when I
went through the check out the young man at the register had hair like
Clay's new look. I told him I liked his hair and he responded with " I
watched American Idol". I then asked him how come you didn't have
your hair cut like the winner?

He
answered: "I did! "

~Aikeheart
(Sharon)

"Where
American Idol and The Amateur Hour are and were serious ventures where
winners actually do become recording stars (Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, Kelly
Clarkson, Clay Aiken), America’s Got Talent seems to be Simon Cowell trying
to exploit his power and influence and adding one more reality show that
we really don’t need."

"Clay
Aiken, as himself, has countless real life women pining after him but he
chooses not to exploit them. As far as I'm concerned, that's a real man:
irresistibly and innately sexy yet disciplined, honorable and respectful
of women. No wonder women love him."

~propounder

"Not
only do I still wonder "where that voice is coming from" but I marvel at
how this man's spirit is so extraordinarily compelling and how he is able
to awaken so many positive aspects in the lives of others. He is
not perfect, but he is REAL."

~Mitzi
Gill

"To
me[if] the delay of the album release [is] being instigated by Clay [it]
is a really good thing. It means he is supremely confident, in his fans
and, more significantly, in his music. He knows it's good, he's happy with
it and he's sure others, fans and industry, will be too. So good that waiting
wouldn't hurt its sales, but is worth it and will whip up a feeding frenzy.
He's made this album the way he wanted it and now he wants it promoted
the way he wants it. This is going to be a Clay Aiken's album."

~propounder

"They
talk about me all the time. I'm in the tabloids everyday! I mean I'm having
a 3-headed alien baby with somebody or something. Seriously! I don't ever
want anybody to mistake my silence for agreement with that, but you know
what I think? I think that what I do and who I am in the pattern of my
life speaks a lot louder than standing up and responding to every gossip
story that's out there. You can't do that. You can't respond to that stuff.
You are not going to be able to control what people say about you. You
can't control that stuff."

~Dr.
Phil

"Until
Clay, I never thought I had a void to fill. I never realized I had
such an emptiness. I don't know how I managed not to feel it before
him. Did we all have such a place that we were unaware of?
I say "did" because now we know that its reality. We have it. And it is
so hard to fill up. The void just seems to get bigger and bigger.
We fill it up with news and articles, spotlight quotes, tidbits from posters,
blogs from Clay, videos, montages, mp3's, tours and yet it never is enough.
When will we ever feel satiated? Young or old, single or married, we have
to keep coming "back for more". It's un a "void"able."

~Rachel

"I
know.

The
speculation is maddening. The wait is excruciating.

The
hopes, the dreams, are expansive.

Believe
me...okay, some will, some won't, some will fall in between...but we're
on the verge of a major shift. And a huge HUGE outbreak.

I
wish I could put into words why I know this. But all I can do for now is
echo the vestiges of that night.

And
again, tell you...compel you...to look into those eyes. They really tell
the story of what's to come.

Don't
you see the fireworks? They're there.

Don't
you see the confidence? He's not worried.

Don't
you see the deliverance? It's done.

Now
it's all about the timing.

We
want it NOW. We'll get it when it's all just right.

There's
something comforting in the knowledge that a bigger plan is at play and
he's at the wheel. Those who live and breathe this have seen and known
and spoken. We only need to listen. And experience.

It
will be hot and soon and pack a wallop that will resound. In astonishing
numbers. In pretty pages. On amazing stages. It's coming. The next wave
is rolling toward us. Better brace."

~calliek

"Clay
worked hard to create a family-friendly image, yet, it only took a couple
of lying famewhores to tarnish it. So, with his halo now truly, crooked,
I think Clay realizes that a halo and wings ain't gonna buy him respect.
Methinks the altruistic humanitarian man remains, but with a much harder
edge. Without even consciously trying Clay is now edgier and perhaps more
mainstream. Time will only tell. And I can hardly wait... "

~Remedial

A
lot of movie people won awards. But nobody cares about that, right? Although
it was funny when Spike Lee got an award for a socially conscious movie
he made seventeen years ago. “How much progress have we made?,” Lee asked,
referring to the fact that Flavor Flav is still famous. It was also funny
to see Jim Carrey’s new Clay Aiken hair (don’t let the sun go down on him!),
and the Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly NASCAR sketch, and Justin’s goofy-dad
sweater.

Too
funny! The new haircut has already been dubbed the Clay Aiken hair. Boyfriend
is a pop culture icon, y'all! "I
have seen him in charge. I have seen him "run" a concert. I have seen him
say "stay standing" and thought, "why should I?", but I do, and so does
a concert hall full of others. I have heard him say "shhh" and the whole
room quiets. I have seen him take charge easily and with confidence.

Many
people judge him by his first AI appearances. He was a boy. He was dwarfed
by Ruben. He chattered endlessly and had a giggle. Now he stands alone.
He has grown into a man. He is tall and stands straight. The giggle is
still there, but is a part of him that I hope will never go away.

He
is intelligent and well read. He faces adversity with courage. He stands
behind the things he believes in. Why is he perceived as other than manly?

Does
one have to play football or ride a motorcycle to be manly? Not in my opinion."

~Tessy

"With
Clay, you either GET IT or you don't. There doesn't seem to be much in
between with Clay. For me, manliness is in strength of character and willingless
to stand up for what you believe in during all circumstances. Manliess
is in the mind, not the body. One of the gutsiest things Clay did was right
out of the gate naming his album "Measure of a Man." He fought for the
name and won. I think that said a lot about him and the words to the song
even more. The biggest cliche in the world is, never judge a book by its
cover, but in Clay's case the title of the CD really does tell us a lot
about the man."

~Barnett2

"Some
of the highlights of the show that took place on May 24th, was when Clay
Aiken walked on stage, sporting a jaw-dropping new look. Clay, as you know
was runner-up for season two, and his CD sales have topped Ruben Studdard
with his "Measure of a Man" CD. Aiken, 27, is by far the only runner-up
to achieve success, second only to Kelly Clarkson. "

"Most
of the contestants on Idol will fade back into everyday life in a few months,
while winning the whole thing doesn’t secure anything but a record deal
that could very well fail. A few years ago a very large man by the name
of Ruben Studdard beat Clay Aiken in the annual competition. That didn’t
stop Ruben from fading, and Clay from ultimately excelling."

"CLAY'S
MOD MAKEOVERClay
Aiken set Idol fans buzzing when he turned up at the May 24 finale without
his usual spiky do. "He looks sharp and very cool," says Aiken's hairstylist
Steeve Daviault. Maybe too cool. "People would recognize his entourage
and ask, "Where's Clay?" He'd be standing right there." '

~PEOPLE
Magazine- June 12th issue

"I
just showed my daughter "the clip". She laughed and laughed at Michael.
Then Clay walked out. She looked at him, looked at me and said, "Who is
THAT?"I
said, "That's Clay". "He's HAWT!", she screamed, "The hair, the hair, he's
hawt, he's hawt."

Then
she looked at me and said, "Did you know he was HAWT?"

I
did."

~Tesssy

"I
just want to say that I BELIEVE!

All
you have to do is listen to the crowd on AI. Even though they have the
audience noise turned down, you can hear the roar that happens...

Not
when Clay walks in because the audience was probably like us trying to
make our brain comprehend what the eyes see,

Not
when Michael jumps back, even though you hear the laughter,

It's
that roar of recognition once he hits the first clear lines "Although I
search myself..."

It's
primal, it's a recognition, a calling out that goes right to your core,
that despite the new wrapping, it's that voice, the once in a lifetime
voice.

The
roar that builds so much even Paula has to stand, place her hand on her
heart and look around in amazement at the intensity of the crowd, all for
that voice.

That's
it for me. Something is just around the corner and I BELIEVE!"

~CipherBIF

"Clay's
very smart.

He
orchestrated his most recent step into the spotlight brilliantly. A mere
singing stint would not have drawn the kind of attention he garnered for
himself last week.

He
managed to perform a remarkable hat trick; he took part in a comic skit
in which both he and Michael Sandecki were to some extent mocked; however,
his own demeanor, body language, facial expressions and everything else
connected wth the performance gave off a vibe that was so good-natured
and warm that the entire skit stopped being about teasing either of them
for being dorky; instead, it became just about Michael's hero-worship,
Clay's generosity, and ultimately, Clay's patience as Michael kept singing.

By
reprising one of his greatest triumphs, he reminded EVERYBODY of just incredibly
well he sings, and for one brief moment, it was all about the Vox, and
everybody remembered.

And
by using that singular moment to emerge with a radically different haircut,
he cemented the occasion as one that nobody could possibly forget. Years
after this season passes, after we've forgotten about Toni Braxton pawing
Taylor, Meatloaf's tremulous terror, and Kellie Pickler's dinner choices,
folks are going to remember how Clay made Michael's day, and that of everybody
else as well."

~abrahammy

"That
fake Clay kid who couldn't sing even after a second chance is singing "Don't
Let The Sun Go Down On Me." Who's that behind him...Clay Aiken!!! He's
almost hot. Did you hear that, Claymates? I said he was hot! Did you hear
me? Are you happy now?"

~Leslie
Gray Streeter at the Palm Beach Post

"Okay,
gotta say I hated Clay's hair at first, but it's growing on me. He sounded
so great singing DLTSGDOM, I admit I've watched that tape over and over.
Now I like the hair. Teen Sally is all in love with him again. Inservice
the next day the girls I teach with were all aflutter, even my grandmother
had something to say. Only she is lighting candles praying it was a wig.
Can't please everyone."

~Sally
Spectra

"People
who never even knew who he was before, others who had nothing to say about
him, or even avoided me at work [ that crazy who has a toy-boy ] have been
pestering me for two days now. They pester, I stand there saying " I told
you all along, but did you listen?" They' re asking if he has a CD out.
They want to hear him again."

~Nageea

"...It
is obvious from the manner in which Clay carried himself and sang that
he is in charge of his integrity and that no scandal from liars is going
to bring him down.

He
sang well, handled a wacko Michael with kindness and professionalism, and
made no attempt to upstage the idol contestants.

The
fact that the buzz about Clay’s performance hit the radar screen as it
did gives credit to his true star quality. He is and always has been amazing.
His voice is superb. His performance skills go beyond any I have seen in
a long, long time. He can handle any situation. He does so humbly and kindly."

~
Lynn

May
19thAsked
of Katharine McPhee: Does it really matter if she wins?

"I've
had a few people ask me that. Of course, you want to win. Definitely, I'd
love to win. I think it depends on the person. Look at Clay Aiken. He's
done really well for himself and he didn't win. I don't know if it really
matters. When you're in the top two…. Taylor and I looked at each other
and said, 'Oh my God it doesn't matter.'… I'm going to be obviously ecstatic
if I win, but I will have nothing to complain about if I don't."

"Although
very different in style, Daughtry draws comparisons to Clay Aiken in how
much of a buzz he creates. In Season 2, Aiken was the reason to watch the
show. Every night he gave a brilliant performance, his next one seemingly
better than the one the week before.

In
Season 2, you didn't want to miss Clay Aiken. In Season 5, you didn't want
to miss Chris Daughtry."

"I
just used it for this last promotional run with Clay Aiken, I’m not sure
if you get the American Idol shows played where you are but he’s like our
rags to riches story, America’s sweetheart, you should check him out!"

"I
have been thinking today that waiting for Clay's new album is kind of like
being pregnant!In
the beginning everyone is so excited about the news and there are all sorts
of questions asked like...When's it due? Do you know what it is? Do you
have a name picked out? You wonder what it is going to look like and you
know you will love it because it is just perfect! Then you get sick and
have a little bit of trouble along the way..nothing major just some minor
annoyances. You then get to a point where you think that this baby will
never come, you are uncomfortable and just plain tired of waiting! Lo and
behold the day finally does arrive and you are sick with excitement and
so nervous about the future. But it all come out right in the end and you
just have to tell everyone you know how wonderful this baby is!

I
just hope that the gestation period for this baby [album] <snip> is
measured in human terms and not in an elephant's!"

~merrieeee

You
know what was great about the Today show [May 4, 2006] mention? It was
the "Best Week Ever" guys who are soooo snarky and funny and they attack
everyone pretty much and there was no diss. 1st guy said "I don't know
who's gonna win" (after dissing the current top 4) "I need a Clay to vote
for, I need a Clay Aiken" and the second guy says "I'm voting for him anyway.
I'm still voting Clay Aiken' First guy responds, nodding "Still voting
for Clay" Third guy just smiling and listening.

~Aging
hippie

"OKAY,
"American Idol", before you crown a winner who's going to be saddled with
the latest drippy variation on "A Moment Like This" as their first single,
how about we get a few moments like these ... <snip>

Clay
Aiken singing "Solitaire" with such authority that songwriter Neil Sedaka
admitted he had just lost ownership of the tune"

"And
as for Clay... he has found a way to reach into the music of iconic singers
and songwriters and convey their essence while never imitating them for
a moment. Listening to the first cellcert, as he went from song to song,
I kept saying, "Is that Clay?" There was all of his range and power and
expressiveness, but there was something else. It was the heart of the song,
the heart of the artist.

It
is not so much that he sounds like Elvis, for instance, but that Clay evokes
him. Combined with the image (and it is so much more than the way he is
dressed), the songs are familiar to the times, but absolutely fresh.

Clay
has invited the essential Sam Cooke, the essential Jerry Lee Lewis, the
essential sound of the 60s, the essential Motown, the essential Manilow,
the essential Prince, the essential Rzeznik and Martin to jam with him,
and every night he communes with their shadows. Clay's is the voice that
we hear, but they are all there."

~berkeleylovesourclay

"I
have been thinking a lot about this new album, and have come to the conclusion
that at the end of it all, I don't really care. Not that I don't care about
Clay and his career, but this one thing doesn't much concern me. I don't
care that it is not original songs, I just want to hear him sing. I don't
care that the songs might be covers, I just want to hear him sing them,
because they will be sung for the first time by Clay, and they will be
new. I don't care if the album sells a million kajillion quadrillion units
or not, I will buy mine, and I will have it to listen to. [snip]All
I care about is whether Clay sings purdy, that he has a good album, that
it sells enough to make another/s, that he goes on a tour so I can hear
the clack and read the recaps of the [people] who get to go see him. I
care that he has a career that makes him happy, I care that he is loved
and has peace in his heart. I care that he feels like laughing, and has
excitement, and gives love. And I care that at the end of each day he can
say 'it is good'. 'Cause right now, even if I never hear another new song,
or even a cover song, I can say that it is enough. What I have already
heard from Clay has satisfied my soul. Of course, I want more, but if there
is never more, then that is o.k. too, I have much more than I ever had
before Clay came in to my life. So.. in the words of the ancient turtle
in Never Ending Story..'I don't care. And I don't care that I don't care.'
Clay's all good, that is all that matters."

~MamaClass

"The
song writers of this time are in transition. They are having to learn to
write songs of love not songs of love lost. They are having to learn to
write songs of hope not songs of angst/despair. For the past 10 years,
the music (what there is of it) has been in a down phase - anger, despair,
loss seems to be the majority of expression. Now that has to be switched
around. Clay is ahead of the times, not a throw back. He will join in the
trend back to upbeat, love, and hope. This is the cycle of life - lead
in to war with anger, angst, and despair, lead out of war with hope, love,
and faith in the future."

~onemorefan

"Just
got something I can share...I've been putting out some feelers the past
few weeks and finally got this...

"Total
change-ups happen, even at a very late stage. More often than not, it comes
from an artist's gut feeling, and more often than not it's for the better.
He strikes me as having a good sense of not only himself but of what is
right for him. I can't tell you the number of artists who have no clue
when it comes to that. At this career stage, typically an artist would
have little say in the product, but this has been different from the get-go.
Clay has been handled very differently, because he is...well, different.
Trust me, they know what they have. There have already been quite a few
major deals on the table. They don't want him going anywhere. Of course,
when his commitment is up, he'll most likely be out of there. Why? Not
because he's been treated badly or anything like that, but because there
are others that will come in with a monster deal he can't refuse. Yes,
he's that kind of commodity.

Whatever
makes the final cut should be amazing. There is no feeling of anxiety over
the follow-up whatsoever. I am just not getting that. On the contrary,
there is great anticipation and the consensus is that it will break huge.

Oh...and
there are dates already scheduled, but you should know that. I wouldn't
be surprised if tour announcements come with the CD release, or pretty
quickly thereafter."

"This
from a trusted friend, take it however you will. But I know it's good.
I am happy. I am excited. I am ready!"

~calliek

"It's
going to happen! And it's going to be amazing! Clay is excited! He is confident
and he loves what he's creating. That, in itself, is a gift to me. I feel
like a child on Christmas Eve. I know what I want, and have wanted, for
what feels like forever...and I know I am going to get it...tomorrow. Tomorrow
is a lifetime away. But it is coming. And when it does, the deliverance
will exceed every expectation I have had.

And
the power of his achievement will vanquish all of those who have smirked
and smeared and smelled weakness. Because they have yet to see the likes
of this man. His strength has been quietly simmering within and is set
to boil and blow over.

The
power of creation is mightier than that of defamation.

There
is ecstasy coming...I feel it, I know it. The wait is excruciating. But
the deliverance is going to be...sublime."

~calliek

"Fans
as a group can do something --- [One fan] articulated the ways we can speak
through our actions very, very well. I will buy every Clay Aiken album,
get tickets to see a few shows for every concert tour whenever possible,
and support the causes he believes in the cases where they resonate with
me, as well.

But
beyond that, in the world in general, there are antidefamation leagues,
there are interfaith organizations promoting tolerance and understanding,
there are groups which support journalistic integrity and there is the
way we treat one another, in public and behind closed doors. These are
some small ways we can help create an atmosphere incompatible with racism,
sexism, ageism, homophobia, religious bias, exclusion based on ability,
and gossip, slander and lies.

I
may get angry for a moment, but I will not be pushed into poisoning my
life by returning hate with hate. I prefer to spend my time, my money,
my energies and the precious days of our all-too-short lives on the people,
the causes and the ideas that I love.

That's
not just for Clay, though it includes him, but for everyone who has been
a target of injustice."

~berkeleylovesourclay

"Yesterday,
I had occasion to go for a drive during the workday. Usually I keep my
mp3 player on random, but for some reason yesterday I selected Measure
of a Man to listen to. As I was driving along, suddenly, the sun felt warmer,
the air smelled fresher, the sky seemed... bluer. I found myself rolling
down the window (first time this year) and cranking up the volume. By the
time I reached the first stop light on my destination, Perfect Day was
on and I was keeping the beat on the steering wheel and singing at the
top of my lungs. I had that 'yeah, that's Clay Aiken baybee' ****-eating
grin on my face. Not oblivious to the stares of the people in the car beside
me - rather, reveling in them! Knowing that I've got this fabulous boyfriend
out there somewhere, readying a whole new wave of gorgeous sound, just
for meeeeeeeeee! Oh yeah, it's gonna be a perfect day. Then, Measure of
a Man came on. God, I love this song. Whenever anybody asks me what song
would I choose if I could only ever listen to one Clay Aiken song again,
this is my answer. 'Would he walk on water, would he run through fiyah?
Would he stand beside you when it's down to the wiyah?' *g* No wait...
*G* I. Love. This. Song. His voice is so pure, his phrasing so awesome.
When he sings this song, I believe every single word. I want to tell him,
'No Clay, you don't need to walk on water for me. You just need to sing.'
Such is the power of his voice for me. "

~cindilu2

The
song list played through two more times before I got back to the shop,
and I was filled again with anticipation, with excitement, with love for
the vox and for the man. Summer is coming. Clay is coming. I can't wait!!!HitQuartersInterview
- Stephen Ferrera, VP A&R J Records USA - Apr 10, 2006Question:"For
how long will you continue to work with an artist on a project?"Answer:"We
work until it's done. If it takes six months, eighteen months or two years,
we work until everybody feels we have all the material and the record is
exactly the way that we want it to be. Then we put it on the release schedule
and off we go.The
only time constraints we have are the ones we put on ourselves until we
get the thing right. There's no point in putting out a record that's not
exactly the way that it's supposed to be."

~Stephen
Ferrera (RCA A&R )...Found by Cristal Line from OFC.

Re:
Speculation that Clay might make an appearance on AI5""BUT...
if he goes on... this is how I'd love to see it go down... I want Ryan
to introduce him by saying: "He came THISCLOSE [show thumb and index finger
stuck together to emphasize the point] to winning season 2... his first
single broke records... first CD went triple platinum... his Christmas
CD went platinum... he's toured six times to numerous sellout venues...
has millions of devoted fans... his new CD, "XXXXX" will be released on
[date], and his summer tour begins [date]. Here he is with his new hit
single XXXXX that's already climbing the charts... CLAY AIKEN!!!"

Then
Clay comes out, with his own band and his own back-up singers, and does
a fantastic, hot number, a non-ballad number, a non-AI type song (which
is what I'm expecting for the first single). He does NOT look like AI Clay.
He does NOT look like Geek Clay. He does NOT look like Kevin Covais plus
ten years.

He
tears up the place. He finishes to roaring applause, bows, talks to the
crowd for a couple of minutes, sends best wishes to all of the contestants,
waves goodbye, and walks off.No
talking to Ryan. No talking to the judges.

Ah...
that felt good.

~ellenpoppy

RE:
AI5"Shouldn't
there be a clear Idol champ emerging at this point? Instead, we're faced
with eight maybes, a gang of pretty-goods. The masses who are giving the
show the highest rating in the history of the world deserve better. We
deserve a Clarkson, a Fantasia or, for God's sake, a Clay."

~Dallas
Morning News

RE:
'Idol' contestant's song choices:"To
be fair to all, nobody from the show can tell a finalist whether a song
choice is good or bad, no matter how much they want to know. Byrd remembers
Clay Aiken: "He'd say, 'Byrd, if this is a great song choice, blink your
left eye.' "

~Debra
Byrd

"Clay
has taught me that there is a whole other realm of love. Clay is my first
love of this sort, and may well be the last. He has expanded what I thought
love could be. He emanates it, I throw it back at him, the circle grows
and grows. Others are caught in it . . . fans, people with disabilities,
other celebrities, and who knows who is next?"

~pax

"I
still think we/some of us/most of us, God knows I don't want to talk for
the fandom... feel this connection with Clay because of the way we got
to 'know' him. We invited him into our living rooms twice a week for the
5 months he was on AI and then we just couldn't bear to say good bye, so
we didn't let him leave. We 'adopted' him, so to speak, as singer, humanitarian,
snarker, friend, boyfriend, lover, and fantasy fodder for sophisticated
women everywhere. *g*

~Shadylil

"I
have no experiences with other fandoms but I can try to explain why after
three years I remain a fan of Clay Aiken as I was thinking about this the
other night. Music enriches my life. I enjoy a variety of music across
genres. I like a lot of songs. I enjoy listening to a lot of singers. I
thoroughly enjoy good, even great, singers singing good and even great
songs. However, when Clay sings he does something more than all the others.
He brings me into the music with him. I hear Clay sing and I feel the words
and I feel the music. I hear Clay sing and I see the colors of the emotion
he brings into each note. His voice touches me in a way other singers do
not.

When
I say Clay brings me with him into the music I do not necessarily mean
that I get the same thing from it that he does. I mean that he opens a
portal that allows me to meld the music into my own consciousness. It allows
the music to be healing or invigorating or even enlightening. Does this
happen every time he sings? No, sometimes the music is just a celebration
to enjoy, but when the portal opens it is quite an experience.

So,
no matter what other wonderful things Clay does as a teacher or philanthropist,
no matter the sexy moves or the sweet body, for me the reason to be a fan
always comes back to the voice."

~ncgurrl

"I
wish for him [Clay Aiken]…

•
A CD that IS kickass according to anyone’s definition. Let the voice reign
supreme, supported by real musicians, outstanding arrangements and songs
written just for him. A CD that HE is proud of, one that reflects who he
is and where he wants to take us musically.

•
A PR campaign that will take him front and center, tweaking interest in
those who may have forgotten and those who never knew and providing us
that lie in wait the opportunity to once again see him at his finest. Let
the public see Clay and the man he has become, free of the ‘dorky’ young
guy persona established during AI (and yes, it was perpetuated by Clay
himself whenever possible). He may still be that ‘nerdy’ guy, but that’ll
be our little secret OK! Let him be everywhere!

•
A summer tour that will cover all regions, affording all fans the opportunity
to see him live. New fans will be established, old fans (heh!) will rekindle
friendships and front row seats will be available for the masses.

•
Radio play .. and lots of it .. free of jokes from asshat DJ’s who think
they are ‘too cool for school’. They don’t have to like his music, but
they should at least recognize and acknowledge his talent.

•
A soulmate. One who will understand his quirkiness and appreciate his humanity
and kindness. One who will make him laugh and will stand behind him, no
matter what, providing him with a sense of security and a love that will
allow him to flourish on his own terms.

•
Most of all .. RESPECT. From his peers, the industry and the media. He
has more than paid his dues and done so with class and dignity. He has
earned his place in the industry by hard work, a dedication to honing his
talent and by treating those who ‘gave him a step up’ with an allegiance
a lot of them don’t deserve."

~missie

"If
you haven't been paying attention to Clay Aiken, you might not realize
that the child abduction/militarizing in Uganda is "his" most personal
cause, because he went there last year and witnessed it himself. But if
anyone has the chance, catch the "Invisible Children" tour going around
to colleges around America (and soon Europe) and watch the movie! It's
REALLY well-made, inspiring, and moving, and in one year will be coming
to theaters nationwide. :D Here
is the schedule of screenings, so see when it's coming to your city/college!!!
And it's free too. YAYE!"

~LiveJournal

"Really
now, let's be objective! I
figure over five seasons at least 250,00 hopefuls have auditioned and I
wonder who really is the best of all those singers.Let's
see...From
AI1 was that girl Kelly Clarkson. She can really belt them out. And didn't
her album just beat out Paul McCartney for a Grammy? Maybe she's the best.

Now
wait a minute... Didn't the judges think Fantasia's rendition of Summertime
was the best Idol performance ever! Does that make her the best?

In
season four, we have two candidates for the best Idol ever. That Bo Bice
can rock with the best of them and he seems like a real charmer when it
comes to the ladies. Is he the best? Simon predicted that Carrie Underwood
would sell more CD's than any other Idol winner. Her debut album has gone
double platinum. That's pretty good so she's the best, right?

This
year, Chris is the annointed one but every rocker sounds the same to me.

I
have this CD that I burned of that guy Clay Aiken, who was runner-up in
AI2. Let me put my head set on and listen to him. First song; Hold Me,
Thrill Me, Kiss Me. WOW! How about Unchained Melody? Incredible! Bridge
Over Troubled Water. A masterpiece. Mack the Knife, My Grown Up Christmas
List, Mary Did You Know, etc., etc., etc. One phenomenal performance after
another. I can't stop listening. That Voice is truly a gift that I can
listen to for hours on end. So is Clay Aiken the #1 Idol? Is he the best
Idol contestant ever?Here's
the answer to both questions in 5 simple words:

YOU
GOT THAT RIGHT, DUDE!!!"

~OLMass

"There
is something in his voice that has never, ever been shared on this earth
before. And I wish all of those who are ailing knew about it."~Chardonay"Much
has been said about the sometimes adversarial relationship between Clay
and his fans, but in reading over his blogs, they sound a lot like letters
you'd write to an old friend -- someone who knows your quirks and imperfections,
someone to whom you don't have to explain yourself. I think it's great
that he obviously doesn't get some flak to write them for him (and as a
flak who ghosts for other people all the time, I can recognize "flakery"
when I see it! *g*) -- that he doesn't mind telling us about being sick,
being uncomfortable with photoshoots, showing us candid pictures that he
and his friends took, where he isn't all done up, etc. And as much as we
feel we know him, he somehow manages to make us feel he knows us, too.

There
are so many celebs who are control freaks about their image and never want
to be seen as anything less than perfect. When you think about everything
that's gone on over the past few months, the fact that Clay still feels
he can be so open shows a level of self awareness and confidence I think
is really wonderful. He knows who he is, knows everybody analyzes everything
he says and does to death, and doesn't get all paranoid about it -- he
evidently enjoys just cheerfully laying it out there and watching the reaction.

I
can't wait to see what he does next."

~Pink
Armchair

"It's
kinda like, if you're walking along and you get some doo-doo on your shoe.
You can rub it off quickly and continue on, or you can spend time being
horrified by it, analyze it, investigate it. Life being short, the decision
that respects life and its full potential is not paying the crap much mind,
even if it is a big, gooey, smelly one that smears all over - not because
the crap doesn't deserve to be exposed as crap, but because the true riches
of life deserve our attention and our lives deserve to be spent in enjoyment
of them. I really don't think there's much to be gained by acknowledging
and engaging the crap and I think Clay is smart and deep enough to have
an eye on engaging with the true treasures living can bring. So I see it
as a sign of wisdom and strength that he's not bothering to spend too much
time with the crap - and I trust that from time to time he'll find an efficient
way to kick off anything still clinging to the bottom of his shoes and
move on."

~waterbaby

"Clay
Aiken's Fandom Finds Bead for LifeIn
the past year BeadforLife has received support from many unexpected groups.
One of these is the fans of pop music star Clay Aiken, an American Idol
super star singer. In 2005 Clay, who cares about the welfare of children,
was a UN ambassador to Uganda. He came to witness the plight of the children
made refugees by the war in Northern Uganda. More than half of the beaders
are refugees from this war. When he returned a fan spotted Clay wearing
a paper bead necklace given to him by a young Ugandan. A Google search
by fans, who call themselves "The Fandom," quickly brought them to BeadforLife.

Since
then individuals in the Fandom have sponsored almost thirty Bead Parties
before Clay's concerts and are planning others during the summer tour.

Thank
you, Fandom, for selling and buying the beads, like the beautiful orange
bracelet that Clay wears. We are proud of you for caring about the displaced
and the poor in Uganda.

"Appoiyo
MaTai" - Thank you in Luo from all of the beaders"

~BeadforLife
Newsletter posted by DixieHellcat

"What
a dear young man."

"It
was like watching magic."

"Absolute
pure song. The boy stopped being there and there was nothing but singing."

"It
was like watching magic...this young man unzipped himself and emerged like
a butterfly."

"He
did it so naturally and so beautifully that I think all of our jaws dropped
and we thought "wow." Clay Aiken. What a great kid."

~Ken
Jenkins [from Scrubs]

"Ken
Jenkins-- [from the TV series 'SCRUBS'] a man who admittedly didn't even
know who Clay Aiken was before working with him--might have just articulated,
with such utter purity and simplicity, what we all saw...from Day One.
It's something that's easy to lose sight of as Clay continues to evolve
into the charismatic powerhouse that he is. But one thing I don't believe
Clay will ever lose...and Jenkins said it perfectly...is that magical elixir
of emergence.

"It
was like watching magic...this young man unzipped himself and emerged like
a butterfly." This...this is a huge part of the IT.

He
does that. He unzips himself and recreates an even brighter and bolder
version of himself on stage after stage...with voice, with humanity, with
spirit, with conviction. But he will always be stunning someone, somewhere,
for the very first time. And we will relive that moment, even decades from
now...as he works that magic.

"...
I'm sitting here with these visions in my head of Ruben sitting in the
bobsled with Clay the runner. Clay's feet and legs are flying all over
the place and the sled is going nowhere. Nah!! Since that wouldn't work
then my vision switches to Clay sitting in the sled and Ruben running or
maybe he's walking, but the sled slips out of his sweaty hands and Clay
goes solo down the hill with that "roller coaster" expression on his handsome
face.

Clay,
if you're reading this ( which I'm absolutely sure you are) this is proof
we need to see an appearence SOON! Spring is almost here, it's
time to come out of hibernation, your flock of fans is anxiously
waiting for you to join them."

~Aikenheart1

"We
have often laughed about what a rollercoaster ride this has been. Fast
and furious with many highs and lows. This low has lasted longer than any
of us thought it would but we can't let it negate all the wonderful experiences
we have had over the past three years. We can't allow it to take our joy
away. In following this man we have been privy to some truly magical moments
which have touched our hearts and lifted our souls. We've got many more
of those moments to come. Trust that. Just give us the music and we'll
be flying high once again."

~onthebrink03

[About
the Wilkes Barre performance of 'Measure of a Man' when the entire audience
sang it to Clay:]"MOAM,
began like all the others, with Clay singing, but then, something happened.
There was a revelation I think. Clay seemed so vulnerable during this song.
I couldn't believe when he began making the "Cry" face. Then Quiana and
Angela began tearing up, then they laughed at themselves. Yes, we were
singing to him. There is room in the music world for a Man like Clay Aiken.
Against all odds, we fought for him to be in that room, at that moment
with us. And it was worth every phone call, every disgruntled post, every
penny plunked down for his CD?s. We needed Clay to sing to us. And we needed
to sing to him. Because he let us in."

~Solitaire30

Read
on:

"I
was there, third row floor on the left side. I will never forget it as
long as I live. Moments like that are spontaneous and sometimes I think
the fans still try to force/recreate a moment like that but what made it
beautiful is that it just happened. It surprised us all.

I
remember standing there singing and all around me the voices were strong
and true, with every word correct. That place was filled to the rafters.
I felt a tear slide down my cheek, the emotions in that venue were thick
as fog. I looked at a friend standing next to me (waves to CTclayfan) and
she had tears in her eyes too. I looked all around and there was not a
dry eye within my viewpoint. Quiana and Angela had a hard time composing
themselves after that and when the Jumbotron showed his close up face before
he started to sing FOG, [Fields of Gold] it was one of love and wonder
at it all. "

~Corabeth

[In
response to the article:What did Clay Aiken DO?]"To
put it bluntly, Clay amassed a lot of POWER....people power, media power,
powerful support from major corporations..you name it....'Our skinny little
white boy'..as Clay declared himself to be..has won incredible support
from many of the recognized powers that be...Wachovia, Disney, UNICEF,
Krispy Kreme, Oprah, Jimmy Kimmel (shall I include him? ). His wonderful
BAF has attracted governmental support to develop major programs for elementary
level classrooms....right now, various schools are in receipt of grants
from BAF for Peer to Peer programs...children's hospitals have received
'Learning Centres' from BAF and Clay fans,YMCA camps are being revised
to serve children of all abilities..

All
those 'little differences in the life of' that Clay and his fans have been
making are now having their 'trickle-down' effect..in other words, states
and schools and hospitals and newspapers and the cities where Clay's concerts
are being held..are all beginning to see the results of this fine young
man's work. Magazines such as Today's Caregiver, People's, Today's Christian,
Ability, UNICEF....extoll Clay's accomplishments. These are the magazines
that represent Clay in the most positive light. They help maintain the
power base he has built....they help stoke the fires of jealousy in those
who can't match him.

Without
a smidgen of a doubt, Clay's power boost came from his fan base..who gave
him enough confidence and emotional and financial support to tackle all
the goals he had set for himself. I doubt if any other fan base in history
has been as supportive and caring and sharing as has Clay's.

The
tabloids are out to undermine Clay's power by inundating his fans with
ugliness in the hopes that we will desert Clay. WRONG!!!! They forget that
Clay's fans are a diverse mixture of talents who can see through all this
muck and decipher just who the naysayers are...They think that because
Clay's fans are predominantly women that we can not fight back and will
cave in to the public ridicule they hurl at Clay. WRONG!! They know little
about the Claydawgs and other male fan sites that support Clay. It is women
they are hoping to intimidate by directing this ugly attack on Clay. The
sports jocks and the trash newspapers who are contributing to all the negativity
don't respect women in the first place, so they find it very glory-seeking
to denigrate Clay's fans...and up their male readership.

What
did Clay do? He self-effaced himself into the hearts of millions of people
around the globe. He remained a man of honor and integrity in a world of
distortions and lies. He stood up for the disabled ...and he can really
and truly sing..and by doing all this, he became a man of power....and
nothing attracts evil people more than the thought of toppling powerful
people.

Just
ask Satan...."

~karencheyne

"Sometimes
I ask myself: Why did this life happen to me? I don't think anybody can
answer that question. I don't know why I'm here doing what I'm doing--other
than that it's a calling for me."

"Who
is to say people will remember me? But if they do, then I plan to be remembered
for having shared any success I was fortunate enough to experience with
as many people as I could."

"My
absolute priority-more than having a hit song-is to set a good example.
There is a difference between image and appearance. Your appearance is
how you look. Your image comes from what you do. My goal is to be triumphant
in using where I am to do something bigger than what I am."

"In
the end, I keep telling myself that this celebrity, however moderate, has
nothing to do with my wallet or my image. My purpose is to do good. And
this is the form it has taken."

"When
I look back, I realize that God placed me into every situation that led
me here. He introduced me into each one of those settings so that he could
help shape me into a better servant. I didn't get this singing voice to
make myself famous and rich. I got it to become a better messenger."

All
quotes- Clay Aiken, "Learning to Sing"

"I
am a person who honors the truth, as I know most of you do, and I firmly
believe that truth does and always will prevail, ultimately. After reading
today's blog from Clay, I began to cry. I was not crying for Clay or the
situation but rather for this amazing realization that this is a man I
honor and trust because he has done all that he said he would do with his
new found celebrity and he continues to shine that light of his on the
darkness without doing anything more than being true to himself. For someone
so young this amazes me. I have no doubt that he is who he says he is and
I have no doubt that he will prevail. The truth always wins. Sometimes
it just takes a little more time than we expect. I love that he cares enough
to share his truth with us and his vacation. He is such a fine person,
and such a rare one as well."

~skybar22

"I
have a rock star boyfriend who is such a dork that when he gets some down
time he tours Eastern Europe. He sends his fans crappy pictures of his
vacation and writes intelligent and witty stories of his trip. He's handsome,
and sweet, and when he sings (and when he speaks), time stops."

~Claymaniac
in PA

"There
are two types of people: those that talk the talk and those that walk the
walk. People who walk the walk sometimes talk the talk but most times they
don't talk at all, 'cause they walkin'."

~From
the Movie 'Hustle & Flow' by way of Jemock

"Clay
reported in 'Learning To Sing' that his music teacher told him that he
connected to the emotion in a song, and inferred that he was able to convey
that to his "audience". Even when it was just her listening.

That's
what so striking to me. Back in the day when I was singing a lot, I would
have certain songs that just hit me right in my emotional center. The combination
of the melody and lyrics just made me "FEEL" tremendous emotion that I
would try to convey when I sang a song like that. It's not so much the
"literal" message of the song that I connect with when Clay sings. It's
not that mechanical. If he is describing touching someone or holding them,
that's not what gets me. One example is in "Not Supposed to Love You Anymore".
The line about not being able to lie in the bed, but having to be down
on the floor gets me every time. It's not that I can picture him OR me
in that situation, but the way he sings the line makes me experience the
sense of LOSS that that line should convey. I'm a believer when he sings
it. He "becomes" the song, just like an excellent actor "becomes" a character
in a movie or play and we lose our awareness of who they are off-stage.

It's
not the particular situation that is important to me, but the emotion.
When I hear Clay sing and see him perform, I experience wistfulness, longing,
playfulness, anguish, love, anger, and most of all joy. I think he is really,
really unique in being able to convey all that to me and so many others
in his audiences. That is a very rare talent, and one that I am reveling
in.

Clay
is not the songwriter, so he is not telling his personal story. And yet
I can experience the emotions the writer was trying to express THROUGH
Clay. That is amazing to me. That is what keeps me coming "back for more".

~Permaswooned

"I
have thought back a zillion times to the interview that Clay did with Linda
Loveland after the Vincident. She asked him what his hopes were for the
future. He said that he hoped to put out an album or two and enjoy the
ride for about 3 years. And then, when it was over…he would just lie down…it
was over. He has made some unusual choices in his tours…featuring music
from different eras that he loved to sing…including songs with religious
overtones like Kyrie, AAL & YWT in his concerts…giving special performance
opportunities to people close to him like Allison and John D. I have wondered
a few times if he has done this now because he thought his window of opportunity
would be short.""[Clay]
does not owe me any information whatsoever about any private areas of his
life. I don’t need to know what he eats for breakfast, or what brand of
underwear he buys or anything else he is doing on his own time. Through
personal experience, I have come to expect that if I go to a Clay Aiken
concert, I will hear fantastic interpretations of beautiful songs. I will
hear funny banter. I will see (and photograph) a gorgeous, fascinating
guy. I will be amazed by new ideas and risks in performance. I will laugh
and smile and clap and maybe even cry, and come away euphoric. I will get
to spend time with other fans & friends who have become very dear to
me. I will also get the opportunity to contribute in some way to worthwhile
endeavors that I knew little about before Clay Aiken. I will get to see
a great artist continue to evolve. That’s more than enough for me.

"Well,
I was bored this morning after the gym, so I downloaded a bunch of Clay
Aiken songs from season two of American Idol. It's kind of embarrassing
to say, but man, does he have a voice that goes on forever. Is it weird
that I want to go to one of his concerts with a shirt that says, 'I'm a
Clay-Mate'?' "

"Today
[ I was talking to a co-worker] a very nice guy, probably about 30
and looks like he was probably a football player in high school. We have
had quite a few discussions about music, because he has seen all the Clay
pictures plastered all around my office, and knows that I have traveled
to see Clay.

He
asked me today if I had been watching American Idol, or if I "already had"
MY idol. I told him I hadn't seen a lot of the show...a couple of the audition
shows...because I don't like the bad auditions, but that I had watched
this week to see who had made the top 24. He likes the auditions...thinks
they're funny...whatever.

His
favorite is Taylor Hicks. He's a big old-school blues and r&b/soul
fan, so loves his style. <snip>He
liked him because to him he seemed unique and the real deal. He also thought
that he seemed like a really nice guy.

Out
of the blue, he said that he thought that Clay had really been the ideal
idol. He said that he had such a great voice that it was a total shock
the first time he heard him sing. He thought that every week he just kept
topping himself in his performances, and kept looking better and better.
He said the great thing was that he was such a genuinely good guy, and
had done so many wonderful things with his success. He said that he was
a really great role model for teens, and that the world needed more people
in the music business like him. He said that he hoped that this year's
winner would be someone who could fulfill that kind of role anywhere close
to what Clay had done."

~
Permaswooned

[Webmaster
note: Posting this because it's funny.]

"I
heard a rumor from this girl who's cleaning lady's sister works at the
[Name of Store omitted] in Raleigh and was told that one of the deli kids
sliced a half pound of low sodium ham for Faye and overheard her tell another
woman that Clay might have a new CD coming out soon. So I’m hopeful."~message
board post-Below was a posted response:

"I
don't know if you meant this to be funny, but the picture it conjured in
my head just made me giggle. It's so gossipy and cute in a 1940's shopgirl
way. It's like, 'So I says to Mabel, I says, that Clay Aiken kid, he's
got a new record out soon, and it's gonna be big, I tells ya, big! Bigger
than the Follies! Bigger than Caruso! Call Mr. DeMille 'cause the kid is
ready for his closeup!' "

~kelloggirl

"My
husband and I had lunch yesterday with a writer for Amusement Business.
He's been an entertainment journalist for a long time. He was asking me
about the Clay fandom. (He didn't use Claynation.) He does not find the
group laughable or terribly different than other fans over the years. What
is unique is because of the internet we are all so much more informed and
connected with one another, therefore able to accomplish quite a lot.

He
hears good buzz about Clay....not the cd (he's more performance than recording)...just
Clay....his attitude, his performances, work ethic. He comes prepared to
put on a show and he does! He feels the Clay fans are also a force to be
reckoned with....they aren't known for suffering quietly. No joke!

Anyway,
no news here but it was an interesting conversation with someone who has
seen a lot of stars/acts through the years come and go. He definitely has
him in the "will be around as long as he wants" column."

~DeepSouthGurrl

"There
are times when I think I want industry respect for Clay even more so than
the general public's respect. IMO 'respect' is more valuable than awards.
Each new project puts Clay in contact with musicians and professionals
he may not have worked with before. He's building a reputation that is
in his control. That is the unknown reality I hold on to, not what the
haters and detractors try to sell us.

So
here is my happy thought for the day based on an unsubstantiated, possibly
made up just because it sounds.so.good, rumor that Clay is having a recording
studio custom built in his new home. Why this would benefit Clay (and enrich
my already overactive fantasy life):

Whenever
the spirit moved him, lets use the middle of the night as an example, he'd
be able roll out of bed (jammy-clad, rumple-haired and unshaven) to pad
barefoot into the studio. Once there he could flip a few switches to turn
on the recording equipment and one (no more than one) low watt light in
the corner (wouldn't want it to hurt his eyes). Head phones in place, perched
upon his favorite stool, he could lay down a few vocal tracks, trying to
capture the music that might be resonating in his mind, posssibly invading
his dreams. One day, he might even be holding a guitar, or sitting on a
piano bench as he sings, his vocals a bit gruff, captured digitally as
inspiration hit. There could be some really cool music down the road.."

"He
beat Journey. How ironic considering he sang a Journey song on AI.
It's like two worlds colliding. Another
example. Last night I was folding laundry in my room while watching
AI. I picked up my BAF t-shirt and folded it and as I did so I saw
Clay's sillouette. And I thought about how far he has come and all
the things he has done since he was where these kids are now on the Idol
experience. It was kind of a weird moment with Idol on in the background."

~Anonymous

"This
is a man who entered our hearts with a roll of red hair, glasses, and freckles.
A striped shirt. A quavery, "I'm the next American Idol." And a voice that
arrested hearts everywhere.

This
is a man who transformed right before our eyes and commanded stages with
his strut, his cluth, his wail, his sexual prowess...but most of all, his
voice.

This
is a man who slipped so smoothly into the role of Ambassador, humanitarian,
role-model.

This
is a man that knows what he wants. It may not always be what we want, but
how can it be wrong if it's what he feels in his heart and mind and spirit?
Can't we give him that? He's given us so much more.

We're
worried about covers?

I
remember the thrill I felt when he entered the arena that night...singing
Kyrie to the throngs, an anthem that seemed to resonate to the heavens.
I always loved Mr. Mister's version. I forgot they ever sang it. I'd bet
that anyone who heard it then, or later, would ever connect it with them
again.

He's
a smart man. He knows what to do. We need to give him that. He will give
us so much more.

He
always, always gives us more. We just need to give him a little bit of
faith right now.

Spring
is coming. Joy is coming. Believe."

~calliek

REPOST!"I
always like the idea that you can turn on the radio and say, 'Oh, that's
Clay Aiken. Oh, that's Barbra Streisand. Oh, that's Frank Sinatra, Oh,
that's Tony Bennett.' They're a star if you can identify them immediately
by their sound. That kid has his own sound. He's got energy. He's got soul.
He's got it all. That voice POURS out of him."

~Merv
Griffin

"...I
have a beautiful teenage girl who loves Clay and by reading his book, listening
to his music and watching him do good works with UNICEF is even MORE of
a caring, compassionate, wonderful, independent, confident young lady than
she was before. That all her teachers have told me she has the biggest
heart they've seen...that she's as wonderfully nice to the special education
students as she is to the "popular" kids and she's the first one to stand
up and stare down anyone being mean to anyone. And she tells me it's because
of what I've taught her and what CLAY has taught her. And that 6 minutes
she spent on stage with him is forever burned in her memory as the greatest
6 minutes ever. The pride and love she felt from him (and the CH'rs who
were there) left an imprint on her heart that she will never forget."

~CantDecide

"This
guy has been across the world as Mr. UNICEF Ambassador and given 3 major
tours in little over one year, while working on an album he seems determined
to make worthy of himself. Then the fans gasped at how skinny he'd become
and threw him some donuts with a demand list. Mr. Multitask has been at
it for over 3 years straight!"

~propounder

"It
seems likely that in May, Clay will release an album. There will be enough
to make me happy, because Clay will sing. He will sing with that magnificent
voice, the finest I've ever heard. His voice will soar and caress and yearn
and rejoice... and I will feel so blessed to have "found" him in this world
where there is so much loss and heartbreak. Lord, I love him and I am so
very grateful for him.

Once
again, I'll step out in faith with you, Clay.

<snip>I
hope everyone will find something that will bring them happiness today.

I
know I will.

I
choose to celebrate.

I
choose joy.

Always
and forever, I choose Clay."

~berkeleylovesourclay

"You
guys want to know the phrase that's been going through my head all day
long?

"Time
to unleash the juggernaut!"

Quote:juggernaut:
a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes
whatever is in its path

"This
is Clay Aiken's year. Next Grammy show, we'll see Clay crossing that glossy
floor to collect his prizes...we'll watch him sing and smile and groove.
With his band. His band. Yet another successful tour or two beneath his
belt...Multi-platinum copies of his album in gleaming black frames hanging
on his walls...a solid handful of hit songs and more to come playing on
the radio.

This
is the album, this is the time, this is the voice. We've waited a long
time and the powerful anticipation has been building. Building.

Unleash
the juggernaut, Clay! We're ready!"

~00Isee

"Television
didn't just make people like Clay Aiken popular, it also made William Hung
popular, too. It wasn't until some distance was put between Idol and the
likes of Clarkson and Aiken that they began to garner a fanbase that wasn't
just made up of people wondering what barbed witticism Simon Cowell was
going to toss out next. American Idol has been a springboard for many,
but ironically, it's those artists who have forged an identity separate
from the show that have had the most staying power. Rather than American
Idol ushering in some new era of music, I see it becoming less and less
relevant."

"I
don't know about you guys...but in spite of some setbacks, I'm still just
feeling so sappy-happy about Clay Aiken. Every time he crosses my mind,
which is often, I get a little lift...this is an exciting time to be a
fan...Sure, I wish we had more concrete news...a release date, interviews
scheduled...but I get so excited just knowing the whole album "thing" is
on its way. Distractions don't deter me at all...I still see it all so
clearly. I hear a song on the radio and think, "Clay will be on the radio
soon" (and he WILL)...I see a concert clip in a montage and think, "Clay
will be touring again soon" (and he WILL)!

Yesterday,
while talking with hubby about our Easter vacation plans, I mentioned the
possibility of flying the family somewhere...and hubby reminded me that
we might want to save those miles for Clay."He
will be touring this summer, won't he?" Hubby asks."Oh,
I'm sure he WILL be!"And
he will be!I
actually blushed and got the stupidest big old grin on my face. He laughed
at me. Yes, we have to save our miles for Clay. This is the summer we'll
take the kids to see Clay live again, come what may. We'll make it happen.
Clay Aiken is better than Seaworld."

~00Isee

"My
absolute priority--more than having a hit song--is to set a good example."

~Clay
Aiken

"I've
experienced that ethereal aura first-hand...so maybe that is why I am always
so upbeat when it comes to all things Clay. But certainly I know that he
is human and he will have his moments of doubt and worry and frustration
and anger and wonder and maybe even...regret.

But
something tells me that there will always be that flame inside him that
will keep flickering, keep feeding, keep igniting, keep firing...always
and forever. He gave us that from the beginning. He said: Let me go on
and let the people decide. Well, the people did decide. He said take and
we took. He knows it's up to us to hold or let go. He's here until we decide.

I
think we've decided...and nothing else will ever matter. That's all we
need to know. And it's all he needs to know."

~calliek

We
hadn't had a particularly great morning when Claywalked
in. I formed an impression of him immediately,due
in part to his awful hair, his thick glasses, andthe
abysmal clothes he was wearing. I wouldn't havebeen
surprised to see him pull a laptop computer outof
a bag and announce he was designing his own Website.
He was just a geek through and through; Iremember
thinking that if we put him on the frontcover
of a teen magazine, it would go out of business.He
was nice enough but really a complete mess. Then hestarted
singing, and all of that was forgotten. Whenhe
finished his audition, he stood there, pleased withhimself,
but we was very nervous. "Well," I said, "youdon't
look like a pop idol, you have to admit," Henodded.
"But, God, you're a really good singer," Isaid.
"What do we do with you?""Put
me through," he said. So we did. Randy feltexactly
the same way about Clay; we agreed that therewas
an aura about him, something unusual. He stuck inour
minds, and that alone was a trememdousachievement--when
you see a hundred singers a day,it's
amazing if you can remember even a handful ofthem."

~Simon
Cowell -Page 157

Clay
has such an aura about him that he draws peoplein
and makes them comfortable being around him, Itamazes
me to this day, I have never seen anything likeit.
One final thought I'm sitting here listening toClay
sing "She Said Yes", and the one line I keepthinking
of is "They lit a Flame with the Match Godhad
Made", and I have this to say, "Clay lit a Flamewith
the Match God had Made when he opened his Mouthto
Sing", and that Flame will never fade.

"...but
needless to say, please believe me when I say, theman
has an aura around him. I had heard it, but Ican’t
explain it, he just glows when you are in hispresence.
I know he doesn’t want us to see him likethat,
but it’s the truth. He just radiates a glowthat
you feel. Hard to explain, but its definitelythere!
He is ELECTRIFYING!"

"Clay,
I think of you everyday. How could I not when I am a mother of two special
needs children and I know you are out there advocating for them and others
like them? I will always support you. But I feel so badly for you because
of the slander people make up about you. When I first became aware of you,
I saw a very nice, sincere person who was really trying to use his new
found celebrity to help those less fortunate. Unlike most of the other
American Idol candidates, you weren't interested in your "career" per se
when you started the competition, and once finding success, pursued it
as a way to "make a difference." How people can make something ugly from
that is beyond me. Just as you have given me faith in humanity, those who
are trying to smear you give me doubt [in humanity]. I hope people like
you win out. But its is a tough, tough struggle."

~rhgk

"All
I know is that Clay Aiken has shown himself to be a fantastic entertainer,
amazing singer, a person with a big heart who cares about others and tries
to do something about it. But even if he wasn't, NO ONE deserves this kind
of crap.

I've
wiped stuff off the bottom of my shoe with more integrity than this jerk___
famewhore or anyone working at the National Enquirer."

~PermaSwooned

This
is but one season...

A
lone tree stands in a frozen field, bare limbs bleak with cold and a dusting
of snow. Raw wind rattles brittle branches, lashing fruitlessly against
a staunchly grounded trunk. Stern and still, it stands. Seeming proof of
life vanquished.

Wait.
Wait yet a while. See what change a season brings. Soon the piercing ache
of frigid winter storms will give way to a familiar burst of color and
song.

I
remember. I remember to hope. This is but one season. A few months, a collection
of days and hours and frosty breaths. I can bear the cold yet a while.

One
moment at a time.

Then
comes spring.

~Unknown
(posted by OOIsee)

"You
know...there are certain events that people remember in the Clay Nation
as defining moments good and bad...the dot cert, OMG What was that??? (First
Invisible video from AI 2 Poptarts), the Anomoly, MOAM at Wikes Barre,
the flashes at Reading...and on and on...but yesterday...Circling the Wagons
joined that list. It was an amazing day. We may bicker...after all we are
family and what family gets a long all the time? But when push comes to
shove you don't attack the family...you attack the family and we circle
our wagons and watch out. And what was beautiful is we did it with love...just
pure unconditional love for a very special man who brought us together.
I am so very proud of the Clay Nation for doing what it did yesterday...and
it is even better that he knows...that the scum isn't diminishing our love
but making it stronger.

And
I hope we sent a message to the scum. See what love can do...you go play
in the muck...we won't. You can't diminsh our love...you only made it stronger...which
is probably the last thing on this planet that they wanted. Out of hate
came love. Out of darkness we found light. We answered hate with love."

~dancermom2

"When
the rain is blowing in your faceAnd
the whole world is on your caseI
would offer you a warm embraceTo
make you feel my loveWhen
the evening shadows and the stars appearAnd
there is no one to dry your tearsI
could hold you for a million yearsTo
make you feel my loveI
know you haven't made your mind up yetBut
I would never do you wrongI've
known it from the moment that we metNo
doubt in my mind where you belongI'd
go hungry, I'd go blind for youI'd
go crawling down the aisle for youThere
ain't nothing that I wouldn't doTo
make you feel my loveThe
storms are raging on a rolling seaDown
the highway of regretThe
winds of change are blowing wild and freeBut
you ain't seen nothing like me yetThere
ain't nothing that I wouldn't doGo
to the ends of the earth for youMake
you happy, make your dreams come trueTo
make you feel my love "

~shadowsgirl
-from the song "To Make You Feel My Love"

"Some
men walk and find their place in the world...Some
men show the world their walk.

Clay
is a tall man walking and he is going to walk a long way in this world.
A very, very long way. And the echo of his steps will be heard in places
where others' shadows have merely crossed.

In
all things past, present, and future, he may choose silence or he may choose
to use his voice, in one way or another. But I cannot help but feel that
whatever choice he makes, his message will always reflect the strength
that can only radiate from one who knows he is loved to a depth and scale
that can overcome any kind of force that would break another. Love is,
after all, the ultimate protection. And we have plenty of that."

~calliek

"Pop
star Clay Aiken and his friend and backup singer Quiana Parler, a big Guiding
Light fan, toured Springfield with a little help from Stephanie Gatschet
(tammy), Tom Pelphrey (jonathon), Kim Zimmer (reva), and Robert Newman
(Josh). "We had just finished shooting on the set and it was the end of
the day", explained Gatschet. "We were getting ready to leave and I looked
over and there's Clay Aiken. It turned out he was there showing two of
his friends around. It was funny because we're all fans of his but he was
there with his friend, who is a fan of ours. It was surreal. Clay, himself,
was taking pictures of us with his friend! "

~Soap
Opera Weekly- includes a picture of Clay/Quiana on the set of Guiding light!
There is a pic with Clay and Quiana in the middle, surrounded by (character
names) Tammy, Jonathon, Reva and Josh. (Info posted by EmeraldEyes)

"Fear
is the basis of hatred. Why do certain people fear Clay? Maybe because
he really is just that talented. He has a kind heart, an open spirit and
a creative mind. If you're an empty soul, wouldn't you fear him? Who really
knows what inspires the kind of hatred/fear we are witnessing? I only know
I will not be a part of any of this. I refuse to give these people any
power. They will not bring me down, make me sad, create their own kind
of fear in my body and mind.Clay
is wise beyond his years. He teaches me as he lives his life fully and
ignores the tripe. I can do that, too."

~laughingoutloud

QUESTION:
Nigel, will American Idol ever reveal the weekly vote totals?ANSWER:
"I don’t think so. We do at the end of each of series, it is released,
but not during the week. If you knew, for instance, that Clay Aiken was
so far ahead every week, it would be a waste of time watching. You wouldn’t
vote for anybody else because you would think, well, he’s never going to
win; no one else is going to win. He is so far ahead of the game. And yet
that didn’t happen on the finale for whatever reason. And I think a lot
of that was to do with Kimberly Locke’s votes went to Rueben as well, when
they couldn’t vote for Kimberly. But if you had known those results each
week, you just wouldn’t have bothered voting. He was that far ahead, is
what I’m trying to say. "

"And
when the CD is released, make no mistake, it will be kick.ass. Remember?
This is OUR GUY, we're talkin' about.It
may eventually SEEM as though he's holding it high above us, til we jump
for it, swinging at it, pleading. Then he'll yank the wrapper aside, reach
out to smooth the hair back from our ears...and aurally kiss us breathless."

~Whatever

"Clay
achieved so much, so quickly, that I think it DID create some resentment
by some in the media or music industry. He got the cover of Rolling Stone,
a career highlight for most, before his first album even came out. He not
only sang on the Tonight Show, he got extensive couch time, something rare
for even the most established artists. He sold 661K copies his first week.
Comparing it to others, one realizes that the figure is unreal for one
so new to the business. There was a time when he seemed to be everywhere,
and those who may have struggled for years in garage bands playing grungy
bars may have been annoyed that someone on a television show could headline
arenas so soon. Kelly's first album opened much lower, and she didn't seem
to have as many early "prizes" as Clay (i.e., fewer magazine covers, a
mini-fair tour first before an arena tour), and perhaps, that limited any
resentment toward her. She became a star, but Clay went supernova.

I
think there will be some who will be looking for Clay to fail, who will
expect that without the benefit of the show, his album will go nowhere.
That's why this album has to be good."

~JennaZ

"I never expected it [the fame] to be as big as it is, and I don't expect
it to get any bigger. At this point, I'm just enjoying what I'm doing and
hoping it won't stop anytime soon."

~Clay
Aiken

"It's
a mob scene at those Clay Aiken Concerts. That guy is a Tireless.
Touring. Machine."~Paul
Westphal- Coach for the Phoenix Suns Basketball Team

"And
there is, of course, Clay, that beloved, exasperating, megatalented, complicated,
not angelic man... I will miss Joyful Noise, which ends much evolved from
the show I saw seven weeks ago. This show was a different form of artistic
expression for Clay, and while I very much enjoyed what he had to say to
me, both with gestures and with words, the greatest joy came from seeing
his exponential growth as an interpreter of song.

I
mean, he's at least five times better! *g*

So,
two more nights in front of the audience, and then...

Soon,
perhaps, he'll be turning the key to the door of his new house, a place
of beauty and peace and comfort which will sometimes ring with the laughter
of loved ones and sometimes resound with the music he makes in a recording
studio of his own.

Soon,
perhaps, "when it's ready" will become "it's ready now" --- and the new
narrative will unfold. He'll tell his story in a voice both familiar and
new, and it will be his own. Listening to his music, many of us and not.just.us
will know that Clay Aiken is where he belongs, on a concert stage and sometimes
on the world's stage.

A
last few days, then, and then we turn the page.

What
a year it will be!

And
may each one find the place where you belong."

~berkeleylovesourclay

Interviewer:
The fear of failure…will all of this go…will it always be here…when will
it end – do you ever have those kinds of thoughts?

Clay
Aiken: No, I don’t. I don’t have any fear of failure whatsoever. I think
you can define failure – it depends on what you define failure as. If you
define failure as ‘did this album sell as much as the last one’ - ‘did
this tour do as well as the last one’ - ‘did this whatever you do market
itself to as many people’…if the answers is no and you call that failure
well I guess you can do that but I wouldn’t call it that.

Failure
to me is going to be if I put out an album and it’s not true to me, it
doesn’t represent me in a way that would make me proud, any kids that I
would have proud, my parents proud, that would be failure. But putting
out an album that I’m happy with, that represents me in a good way, that
allows me to continue to be a positive role model – that’s a success to
me because it’s much more than I would have done as a teacher, it’s different
than it would be if I was a teacher. If the album is what I want it to
be, if it sounds like I want it to sound, if it represents me in a good
way, in an honest way, than it’s a success to me…

~Clay
Aiken

Re:
Clay's comment "I ain't changing any lives...""
I think it's possible that Mr. Aiken doesn't see this kind of "life-changing"
effect as being as valuable as it is to help a child or children with special
needs or those from an under -developed country.The
positive -often profound - effect he has on people who have suffered from
chronic depression, prolonged feelings of grief or loss, or just a lack
of joy in life, which in turn allows those around them to feel happieras
well, is more valuable than he is willing to take credit for."

"My
Grown-Up Christmas List...can he be more exquisite?This
is the carved version of the Clay we have seen and know. This is the one
with precise and delicate etchings. This is the one with all the soul of
humanity, the breath of every man, woman, and child who loves him...this
is the one that will launch new hopes, new dreams, new inroads. This is
the one that we have been with, who we have believed in, who we never imagined...but
who we somehow knew was always there. This is the mature Clay emerging
from the monarch's cocoon. He defies the standard of beauty. The nuances
in his voice are only surpassed by the subtle strokes of his face...like
a masterpiece under construction. He will always be that. Because where
perfection is a place beyond our grasp...Clay will always be reaching.
He will always shoot beyond that place.

The
honeyed tones of his voice, the powerful jettison of its forceful release...the
soft pucker of his lips, the lazy slide of his eyes...the cut of his cheekbones
and the twitch of his facial muscles as he rolls from gentle entreaty to
savage imploration...it's Clay and his own version of a grown-up Christmas
list.

I
think...he will get what he wants."

~calliek

"
The story is meant to tell us to look again at something we’ve lived with
all our lives…to see it from the soul and realize that we all have a second
chance to live beyond our sadnesses, beyond our disappointments, beyond
our losses, beyond our betrayals. It is a story that tells us love really
does survive and resurrect and reshape into a new tomorrow of promise.
We don’t have to die with the yesterday that stole our hopes and dreams,
our faith and belief. It’s a tiny message and it’s a powerful emotion.
It’s a beautiful, beautiful gift."

~calliek

"I
just got back from a big song meeting regarding Clay Aiken's next record.
In the room were fifty (50!!!) of some of the biggest songwriters in music
today, all vying for a spot on his record. Wild stuff. I think even those
of us in the music industry didn't realize the level of competition on
this record. The cool thing is that quite a few of us in the room are good
friends, and right away we all talked about how we could help each other
get some songs together for the project."

"Dear
Clay,I
want to thank you so much for the beautiful gift you so lovingly gave me.
I was at the Beacon Theatre Saturday night to accept my gift, and I am
so overwhelmed with emotion. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I felt warm
and tingly inside. I loved the story you told and the joyful noise. You
had me from the minute the curtains rose till you disappeared behind the
curtains singing the last notes of Good News. Your voice is heaven to my
ears whether you are singing or just talking. You said that God has given
you many blessings and that we, your fans, are one of the blessings. Clay,
you are a blessing to me and a joyful noise. Keep making those noises because
I will always be here listening."

~Susan

"Clay's
version of 'My Grownup Christmas List' is poignantly contemplative, and
just a little bit weary. I hear continuity of a child's innocent hope in
Quiana and Kelly's respective interpretations, but Clay's is the interpretation
of someone who has seen some things he'd like to see go away -- it's a
more plaintive and more wistful version. It's a version just made to be
interspersed with footage of what Clay saw this year in his travels as
UNICEF-USA ambassador (and, for all I know, that's why he sang it).

Vocally,
Clay sounds gorgeous -- I'll echo everyone's comments about how incredible
his voice sounds when he reins in the vocal power -- I love when he trusts
the depth and resonance of his voice to convey the feeling and progression
of a song, and he really does that here. His version of MGUCL doesn't feel
like a performance, it feels like part of a conversation shared with a
friend who understands. Beautiful."

~43dudleyvillas

"Clay
Aiken is an example of an accomplished celebrity who is lending his talent
and heart to bring UNICEF's work to the attention of the decision-makers
in Washington. He is among those who truly serve as ambassadors to the
legislative leaders who can help make this a world fit for children."

"Male
announcer: That was Clay Aiken with the title track from his album 'Merry
Christmas With Love'.Female:
He's so cute.Male
announcer: (laughs)Female:
Well, he is! (fangirly giggle)Male
announcer: You can't help but like Clay Aiken.Female:
So cute. Such a sweet young man.Male
announcer: (laughs) Clay, she's pinching your cheeks."

~KSBJ
89.3 Houston

"It
was fun working with him. He was very nice and not selfish or anything.
He introduced himself to all of us, and was very kind. When we rehearsed
he wore pajamas with penguin
slippers. Yea it was pretty funny. It was fun to work with him."

~From
a little boy who was a stage extra in Dec. 2nd show

"Aiken
had more energy than a toddler with a sugar rush. He giggled, he bounced,
he talked at about a thousand words a minute. In other words, even after
selling millions of albums and becoming one of America’s biggest pop stars,
it appears that Clay Aiken is still the same lovable goof we first met
three years ago. There’s something strangely comforting about that."

"I
was lucky enough to be at the M&G and Jerome specifically told us to
post on the message boards that "We were "this close to pulling him from
the stage."

As
awful as the lack of consideration at the show's end was, I still think
it was a very successful show on the whole. I didn't mention (and I didn't
hear anyone else mention) the flashing to him at the meet and greet. What
I can tell you is that when he walked through that door he smiled and asked
us how we were with enthusiasm. He was full of smiles, firm handshakes
and wholehearted "Merry Christmas"es. He also was in a playful, snarky
mood apparently.

When
the woman in front of me walked off without her signed book, he grabbed
it and hid it behind his back! Then he gives her a snarky grin when he
gave it to her. Then I kiddingly told him "You're not gonna mess with me
like that!" And he looks right at me and said "How do you know it's not
gonna be worse" and then that snarkey smile again. I think I wimpered.
We did the autograph thing and sparred (sp?) a little about the Depends
that I had thrown on the stage.

After
our picture, I almost walked away without my autographed picture too. I
took a step or two and saw it land on the floor behind Jerome. Jerome handed
it to me. I turned and Clay was giggling and saying something about it
not working right. Apparently he tried to swipe my picture too and dropped
it! Ha!

So
my point is, I think he survived that nasty few minutes at the end of the
show. His smiles and snarkiness seemed geniune at the M&G. If they
weren't, he's an awesome actor. IMHO, I think he probably enjoyed most
of his birthday! "

~From
a message board post

Clay
himself said recently he may never be accepted by the mainstream. I also
want him to achieve tremendous success because I think he is that good.
But I know that the ones I like the best don't always get the most success.

Not
everyone will hear Clay's music, but some do and I am one of them. Not
everyone will see what I see in him, but I do and that is enough for me.
As long as he is successful enough to stick around, for those of us who
hear his music, I'll be happy.

~cc777

11-24/05"When
Clay walked onto American Idol, he was like brilliant gem that God had
not gotten around to polishing yet. It did not take long, just a
few swipes and lo! that beautiful inner light just came shining through.
Now many have seen the glorious glow that seems to emanate from him. And
when he opens his mouth to sing, his sweet melody bursts forth and warms
our hearts and soothes our souls.That's
our Clay! And today, among all the other things we pause in gratitude
for, we are also thankful for him and what he brings to our lives."

~Sunnymama123

"We
are talking about a young man who came to us with a wounded heart. He was
bullied by his peers. Abandoned by his biological father, and felt unloved
by his step-father. He was asked to leave his grandmother's funeral by
his own family. I think that is why it breaks his heart to see any child
excluded. He will spend the rest of his life making them feel loved, and
we will spend the rest of ours, telling him that he is loved. I sincerely
believe that God meant for those candles to appear on a night that Clay
needed them so much. [Kansas City JNT2004] I feel blessed to
be a small part of something beautiful.

~MSidolfan

"I
don't usually feel things on a personal level when it comes to Clay. I
don't know him, I don't own him, and I'm always aware that I usually only
get to see a public persona and not a private one. The performance of a
song may move me emotionally, or a situation (like the Uganda trip) but
the person of Clay himself - not always. Yes, I'll post that "I love him",
but for me it's a given that it's the public Clay that has gained my affection
(for lack of a better word.) "But as I watched the video, [Kansas City's
'Don't Save It All For Christmas Day'] I stepped over that line and
as irrational as it was, I felt so proud of him. I saw the verklempt and
the gratitude and that made me smile. But more than that, I saw a man who
was dealing. He'd just been thrown a major curve that effects a show he
said he cares a lot about. Add to that any personal attachments and I can't
help but think that he had quite a bit to deal with. But deal he did. He
took care of business, he took care of the family and he took care of the
audience. So yeah, I may not know him, but I was so damn proud I was almost
bursting. Told you. Irrational.

Then
the signed thank you and towards the end of the song, when just for a moment
-- a very small moment -- his facade seemed to break, I felt like I could
see him accept the love. When his game face came back, I was actually relieved.

In
the smiles to Angela and Quianna, I saw a big "Whew! We did it!" And his
gratitude. They pulled together and worked hard. They did what families
do."

~strummer6

Question
to Clay: When did you realize the Claymates were becoming such a powerful
force?

Answer
froom Clay: I don't know when it happened. I guess when all of this kind
of started for me it was so new and I was very sequestered and very closed
away from the outside world. When I finally did get a chance to be released
into the wild, it was a big surprise. Where did these people come from?

Re:Review
from SLC:"Quite
honestly, it DID resemble an old-fashioned Christmas Pageant, but not QUITE
the way this reporter said it. It was a BEAUTIFUL old-fashioned Christmas
Pageant and that is what made it so special. Sure, Clay could have just
stood there and sung the entire two hours, which is what early criticism
from even his fans was about. But to just sit there and drink in the totality
of the performances, the magic created by the performances, whether this
reporter thinks them hokey or not, was absolutely enchanting."

~gma23boys

Re:
Speculation that Clay is "scared" about how well his next CD will do in
sales:

"Scared????
Heck no, he is smart. Scared??? How does a scared, new recording artist
stand up to Clive Davis and say NO, I won't call it that? How does a scared
new artist stand up and say "I'm changing the line on a song cause I don't
like it and won't sing it?" How does a scared new artist tell someone to
take a major, expensive project of a new video and shove it where the sun
don't shine---it's not being released? How does a new artist go in a Rolling
Stone interview and talk about religion? How does a scared boy get off
a TV show and less than 2 months later talk to people in Washington DC?
How does a scared boy inform a recording company offering tons of money
that part of his time will be allotted to finish a college degree--regardless
what appearances etc they have planned? How does a scared new artist go
on a major headline tour, without ever having been an opening act? How
does he then go solo to another headline tour? How does he tell a mega
sponsor---talking about major major money---accept my songlist or the deal
is off? How does a boy scared of carnival rides drop from over a hundred
feet up? How does a scared artist pull a 3rd tour -- for Christmas music
no less---out of his butt in less than a year? And gets another major sponsor
to pick up part of the tab to boot? How does someone who is scared write
a book, telliing all, like it or lump it? How does a scared person admit
to being picked on and called names and rejected by others? How does a
scared boy accept a position that will take him to a war torn, terrorist
place? How does a scared boy take a still new demanding career and say
--- I'm taking time off for charity and humanity. How does a scared artist
create another tour---with no new songs or CDs---and take on over 50 years
of the best music, by the biggest and best artists ever? How does a scared
boy who can't dance or play music get up in front of thousands of people
and play the piano and dance? How does a scared guy write a small scale
play, set it to music, and take it across the country to thousands of people
--- for Christmas music again?"

~From
TOTLAK

From
a recount of waiting for a Meet N' Greet:"As
it got closer to my turn I started to get really nervous. But then something
good happened to calm me down a bit, and then something bad happened that
just blew it for me. First the good thing. In line right in front of me
were two young girls, probably 8 to 9 years old. The distance from the
beginning of the line to the table where Clay was standing was about 10
- 15 feet. When it was the first little girl's turn, she was so excited
that she threw her arms in the air and literally started to leap over to
Clay and she let out a shriek as she was making her way towards him. Leave
it to Clay to do something funny. He stood at his table and threw his arms
up in the air and started to shriek also! Everyone in the room started
laughing. Evern Jerome was laughing on that one! I thought, okay, that
was great, a little humor was just what I needed to loosen up a little
bit and get the nerves out. After all, I was next. EEEK!! Well, just then,
this big burly biker guy who was in line just behind me says to his buddy
"Man, I'm so nervous I'm starting to sweat." Great, that was it for me.
My fear returned full force. And it was my turn."

~claydb

"What
I saw last night was NOT a concert, was NOT a play, was NOT a performance.
What it WAS, though, was one of the most beautiful and touching and sentimental
and loving and snarky and magnificent visual, aural and emotional experiences
I have ever had! Clay was just absolutely, positively, totally and completely
the master of his realm, and he had the entire audience in his hands… and
oh, those beautiful hands: waving, snapping, creating the magic of the
scenes, stopping them to caress our hearts with the most beautiful sound
in the world – his unbelievable voice! The totality of this performance
has to be seen and heard in person to be believed, no mere words can even
begin to describe the wonder of it all… the beauty of it all, the spirituality
of it all, the emotion of it all… one can only sit back and let it permeate
your being, wind its way around your heart and touch the very essence of
your soul"

~gma23boys

"Mistakes?
May he learn from them.Challenges?
May he grow stronger.Risks?
May he continue to throw his long arms out and embrace the air, making
those impossible, improbable leaps.

~0OIsee

"Clay,
what can one say! He wrenches your heart out, puts it back filled with
joy, love, emotion- choked; you can't possibly be of this earth. Yet you
know you are because there is this beautiful man with the heaven- sent
voice cording on every nerve in your body!"

~OnlyTippyToe

"I
think that it's important that we allow Clay to grow and develop as an
artist. I know that it would concern him if he thought that people were
not pleased by the show [Joyful Noice 2005] that he has worked so hard
on. (And trust me, he worked harder on this show than he has on almost
anything else.) But he would also be disheartened to think that his fans,
who are of the utmost importance to him, have come to expect so much of
him that they are unwilling to allow him to try something new."

"I'll
prepare for the imminent backlash, but...On his behalf, I encourage you
to watch this show for what it is. Not a simple concert, but a full WORK."Pay
close attention to the characters. Pay close attention to the dancers.
Pay close attention to the "backflashes" (shown in red lighting). They
say so much about both Clay, and the story he wants to tell you. This show
is an entire piece of art that Clay has crafted for you, that can't be
enjoyed in pieces, but must truly be enjoyed as a whole in order to be
appreciated."

~Jaymes
Foster- Producer of Clay's soon to be released CD

"I
think there is a predisposition among Christians that Hollywood is anti-Jesus
or anti-Christianity. I was warned I'd have to fight to maintain the freedom
to express my beliefs. It's an unfair stereotype, and so far that's been
the farthest from the truth. While everyone I work with my not share my
beliefs, I have been surrounded by nothing but support."

~Clay
Aiken---Today's Christian Magazine

"I
think his excitement over the show is unbelievably endearing. It reminds
me of when my kids were little and they would have a gift for me (or someone
else) and they were so excited about how great & special it was that
they could barely contain themselves....and yet, they wanted it to be a
big surprise....and yet, they were just BURSTING to see the reaction. I'm
thrilled that he is so excited about the show, and that he wants to share
it with us, believing that we will love it too. "

~PermaSwooned

"Clay
is such a gentle joy of a human being."

~SunshinesGurl

"Right
now I see the image they are trying to project is a mature mid twenties
guy, that has a kooky sense of humor and sexy...but still geeky and may
have a big heart and strong sense of social commitment...but they also
show him to be able to have fun and be lighhearted. I think that is why
they do the insider and Kimmel appearances...to balance out the humanitarian
Clay. In other words, they are presenting Clay in all his contradictions.
They are presenting the real Clay....not trying to make him more sophisticated...not
trying to make him older or younger...but just apporpriate for his age.
Its possible the choices of appearance they make may seem contradictory...LKL
and Kimmel...but that is reflective of who Clay really is...he is a very
complicated person that is very hard to put in one box. I think this will
be very appealing to the 20-30 demographics...and most specially to male
audience."

~samtaycai

Clay
is the articulate Elvis and God's breakthrough in music and media.

~Mitzi
Gill

I
have seen Clay Aiken perform in concert and I agree completely. Clay is
easily the best Pop vocal talent of his generation.

"Trick-or-Treat
[for UNICEF] is more than a fundraising program. For many children,
it is their first introduction to philanthropy and the needs of their peers
in places far away. It is wonderful to know that I can be a part of that
moment."

Clay
and what he's been doing, what he is doing, and what he will be doing?

He's
such a smart, smart man. Flawed? Certainly. But my money will always be
on him to make the most out of his imperfections. He's a master at it.
Personally, I love those little nuances. Stutters, overtalking, blinking,
laughing, whatever. I love him. I want him to be him. I want to watch him
learn and grow. It's part of the enchantment. It's part of what makes the
excitement of the little things tingle...and the big things ping off the
edges of universal joy.I
am loving every minute of his exploration into multi-media playing fields.
Because I know one day very soon he will be moving with great confidence
across those fields. He will have learned how to work them, he will be
striding with the height of one who knows how to get where he wants to
go. Right now, he just wants to go. I can enjoy watching him gallop.

I
just love those legs. Because I know they will get him there. And there
is a place where none of us can even fathom. That...is what excites me.

So
go ahead Clay, blunder and plunder and just enjoy the ride. I love the
sparkle in your eyes, the breathless passion in your speech, the purse
of your lips, the hitch in your steps. I enjoy your moments of grace and
glamore, I enjoy your stutters and stumbles. Every bit of it is true...and
you.

And
that is what I love.

~calliek

"Yesterday
morning, I got off work at 7:00am, and decided to stop in at a local hangout,for
an after work drink. I wasn't there 10 minutes when this BIG Burly Guy
comes in, and loudly says,:shout " Okay, who is the one with the Clay Aiken,
"I'd rather be at a Clay Aiken Concert, license plate bracket, on their
car"? ( I was impressed he remembered the WHOLE title). So, immediately
the vision of a row of Harleys being bumped by my car came into view.Well,
I knew that that wasn't the case, so as I slid my Clay Aiken key ring toward
the edge of the bar, and debated what to do, a voice popped into my head,
saying, " Use Your Voice", "speak your mind."So,
I raised my left hand, and spoke loudly,"That would be me, proud Claymate
here".He
then said, "Clay Aiken?", and I said, Yep!!!!Then
he said, "You know, that guy has a d**m good voice, he sure can sing, he
should've won that show".I
smiled the biggest smile , and said,to myself, "Thanks Clay".Found
out the guy is a truck driver, and this nice guy, made my day.Just
thought I would share this great story with you all.Me,
I'm still smiling.

~Martigyrl

"TV
show The Insider had a new correspondent on the red carpet this year: Clay
Aiken. "It's very glamorous — much more glamorous than the music awards
shows," he said. As stars filed into the theater, Aiken said he got to
meet all of the Desperate Housewives tonight, adding, "They make me sad
I'm single." And what is Aiken listening to right now? "Christmas music,"
he said. "I'm prepping my Christmas tour."

"When
I review the tape [of the show] the next day, there's lots of screaming
and crying," DeGeneres, 47, tells us via e-mail. "Then I recover the same
way I do anytime I'm injured: ice, elevation and my Clay Aiken CD."-Ellen
Degenerous from US Weekend MagazineCelebrity
watch:Attending
his first fashion show, American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken didn't seem
impressed at what he saw.

"All
these models looked like they were upset," he said. "They should smile
more."

"A
singer like Clay Aiken comes along, what, once in a generation? Once in
a lifetime? Is Clay Aiken that special "one" for these times? It seems
melodramatic to ask that question, but all I know is I've NEVER heard a
voice like his or seen any performer with his potential. Ever. No voice
has ever touched me, no face has ever entranced me, no personality has
ever engaged me...like Clay's. He's got me. One by one...and sometimes
by groups, I hear Not.Just.Us. stories…I personally watch him "getting"
more and more new fans...people who haven't seen him since AI, people who
are startled and impressed by him all over again. He's "getting" them...and
I have this optimistic feeling that the public is beginning to "get" Clay
Aiken...a little bit. Bit by bit."

~OOIsee

"The
oh so beautiful 00lsee said:

Quote:Because
Clay really is "my peaceful"...and I really need him right now.

Don't
we all? Oh yes, don't we all? I know I do. More than ever.

I'm
right there with you, even if you are doing a much better job of being
there. So eloquently expressed, 00lsee. Where you are is where I need to
be, too. Life can be a rough sea, but there are tranquil places full of
the very essence of life. Clay is that essence. I say we drink deeply.
And longly. And happily. When we are thirsting, we need to drink him in
again, and again. It is an easy thing in a complicated world.

And
it is completing.

I
want to send him to every grieving soul, I want to let his radiance light
their darkness and warm everything that has gone cold. As he did for me,
as he has done for so many, as is his ethereal way. Maybe I can't. But
I can hold him that way and feel it myself. And maybe, just maybe, it will
spread a little. Just a little. Sometimes a little is enough."

~calliek

"He
reaches out, touches the jukebox, and the music starts. Yes! He’s in great
voice tonight! Look at the joy on his face and the gleam in his eye: the
sinner/saint, bawdy/innocent, sexy/dorky, jubilant/bossy, heart-full-of-love,
one-of-a-kind artist named Clay Aiken. "

"...the
sheer beauty of his voice will leave me shaken, mouth agape, stunned. He
will pull me from my chair, twirl me around and make me dance. I’ll laugh
so hard and smile so much my face will ache --- and then I’ll laugh harder
still. I’ll be as still and silent as a mountain when he sings of love
and loss with heart wrenching beauty, and I’ll be as buoyant as a cloud
in the summer wind when he grabs the mic from its stand, wailing and rocking
out, and sings about love and happiness. I will laugh at my favorite redheaded
goofball --- and I will feel so much joy and love him so deeply it will
feel like my body and soul and mind cannot contain it."

~berkeleylovesourclay

"I
love that eerily sparkling stare. Way back in the olden days, someone stated
that with Clay it's like magic dust was scattered and it either hit you
or it didn't. You either get Clay or you don't - there's not much in between.
This guy [reviewer] didn't get it. We did.

<snip>
I'm not asking for world domination-I
want Clay to sell a good amount of CD's and get a good amount of airplay
and be on talk shows and make guest appearances on tv shows and go to countries
[that are] in despair and be around to make me happy for a long time. And
maybe work on his tact just a little bit *g*. He doesn't have to be number
1. He needs to stick around."

-nunu

"...He
brings such happiness to my life. Where before I would have described my
life as gray- monotonous, boring, uninspired, and plain; since Clay I think
of my life as filled with color- the richness of his voice fills my soul;
the friends I have met through mutual admiration of Clay have enriched
my spirit, and the simple, uninhibited joy he portrays on stage and off,
have made me appreciate the small things in life which before went unnoticed,
or unappreciated. While I sit at his concert I am completely transfixed
by him, I don’t think of anything other than the way he can make me feel-
despite sitting so far away from him, I can feel the emotions he pours
into each song. It makes no difference what he sings, what he wears, how
his hair looks, if he’s goofy/snarky/silly that night; all that matters
is that he is there, on that stage, singing his heart out for US. It’s
amazing to me that at the end of each concert I can feel so physically
drained yet so emotionally filled by him. I wonder if he can even begin
to understand how GOOD he makes people feel- simply by the joy he portrays
on that stage. I can only hope that he has someone/something in his life
that brings happiness to him like the happiness he brings to me."

~Wendy
Nash

"My
most potent observation that hit me so strongly it brought me to tears,
was the fact that I could "see" and feel how much Clay really loves and
appreciates his fans. When he points to the audience during Invisible and
sings "I am nothing without you", he meant it. I could feel it deep inside
my spirit, I was ten feet from him and could feel his fervor and see it
in his sparkling eyes. The love between the lover and the loved was so
palpable at that moment, as the throngs sang Invisible so loud and passionately
there were times you could not hear Clay's voice. We were caught up in
a rapture and he so knew it and could feel it. I watched him give his all
during that last song, tired and sweating, but absolutely transformed by
the enormous amounts of love being poured out to him. In those last moments
of the concerts I knew that magic was still alive in the world and its
name was Clay Aiken."

~Ananka1313

"When
you find a man who likes him [Clay], scratch beneath the surface and you
will find a kind and sensitive heart. A human being with love to give and
plenty of it. Just like Clay. Which is why we love Clay. He has the sensitivity
we want to see in a male. Which is why we love the man we married, because
he has these qualities too."

~Nageea

"Finally
watched the clips you sent me from GMA and a few venues. Wow. Clay is the
real deal. Honestly? I am flabbergasted. I told you I was never a fan of
American Idol, so I was only marginally aware of him. I was not prepared
for this. No wonder you are so blown away. I am blown away...and then some.
Wow. I don't know what to say other than this guy is mega. I have been
curious because his name comes up a lot. But I never really gave it a second
thought. Now I know why everybody is talking. I am really going to be interested
to see what the second album is like. I love Back For More. Killer hit.
Killer. And the Elvis stuff? Incredible. I've never been a fan for covers,
but this guy rocks the socks off covers. Send me more."

~Business
contact

"I
think this tour is very different from other concerts I have seen,. This
isn't just an hour with a recording artist who is going to sing the songs
off their CD. These concerts have everything I like to see from a live
performance--the serious, stunning vocal performances, rocking, on your
feet dancing songs and a connection with the audience that make it a very
personal evening with Clay. I think the experience is even more special
because each one has to be taken in context. They have a flow, a totality....which
wasn't lost on even those seeing him for the first time since AI.

I
think it's brilliant that he can do this night after night, change things
up and keep the concerts new and exciting. The people I talked to after
the concerts loved everything about the jokes and playful interplay. And
for the people we talked to seeing Clay for the first time--they felt like
they had seen Clay as a total performer...voice, humor and personality.
It is a glimpse into not just the voice but the man behind it and everyone
I talked to felt that Clay had reached out to them and entertained them
thoroughly."

~Champion124

"Clay
Aiken is a complex young man with a faithful focus on the purpose of his
unique voice. At 26, he's a reflective, serious star learning his
place in the world. With a growing foundation and his UNICEF trips,
he's even more determined to entertain the world while stirring its conscience."

"I'm
not easily "moved to tears" in my regular life, even by Clay...but Clay
has often wrought an incredible, exquisite shift in my heart...I don't
know how else to describe it....sometimes it feels like a painful twist,
sometimes a shuddering sigh, sometimes a rush of warmth beneath my breastbone,
a swift intake of breath caught on a sob...Often goosebumps...often a flutter
in my throat...often a wide, completely involuntary grin of pure joy.

This
performance of ICMYLM will be experienced subjectively by each individual...those
who were there will naturally feel it in a different way than those who,
like me, must rely on media to translate that power. I found myself holding
my breath as he sang....mesmerized....and when he wailed toward the end,
I felt my heart break open a little...

He's
just amazing....to express so much...to move people so much...with just
the stillness of his body, the haunting expression on his face, and the
pathos of his voice. I can't think of anyone else who has ever touched
my heart the way this man does. And he just gets better and better."

~00ISEE

"When
I see him from where we were when we auditioned in Atlanta to where he
is now. He's grown so much and I'm so proud of him. Because I know what
we went through. He's an actual activist now. He's an activist and he's
a performer. To be a singer and be able to sing and also a have a meaning
and something you really believe in. I think it is the best thing in this
world. And I'm so proud of him. He knows how I feel. He knows I'll cry
in a heartbeat. He's like "Quiana, don't cry." I say, "You don't understand
how blessed you are and how proud I am." To have a book and to be triple
platinum. Who would have ever thought this would happen?"

"I
don't expect Clay Aiken to be a perfect man off stage or a perfect performer
on it...but it seems to me in so many ways, whether on or off stage, Clay
entertains me perfectly...and often brings sweet moments of something very
close to perfect happiness into my heart. It's a pleasing feeling I enjoy
carrying around with me, like a talisman in my pocket. I feel as if I'm
the luckiest fan alive...because while so many in the world still don't
understand the value of Clay Aiken...I recognized the treasure when I found
it...and I'm not about to let it go. "

-
OOIsee

"That
connection Clay has with the audience for this tour is what I was trying
to describe in my "Clay
Aiken is a star" post on Wednesday. I think he finally realizes that
we are not fair weather fans, we will be with him regardless of the path
he chooses. He is finally trusting us enough to acknowledge us in many
ways. Even the snark in his latest blog about the album title is evidence
of this. Clay loves to tease his friends, he does it in every performance
with the band and back-ups. The fact that he's openly teasing the fandom
is a great sign that he's finally comfortable with us. I still don't think
he understands why we love him, but he's finally accepting the fact that
we're here to stay."

~txwrite

"The
lyrics to BFM [Back For More] really crack me up ! They are soooooooo
Clay, because they are layered ........ he is layered in his mind and personality,
not just his shirts !

First,
it is such a SHOUT OUT to radio stations and their limited playlists.
What snark.

Then
it is Clay acknowledging his rather tempestuous relationship with radio.

Then
it has him shouting out "on the radio, on the radio, on the radio" as if
it were a mantra that he wants to be on the radio. When we sing it
with him, we are shouting the mantra, too.

Then
there is the love song part. At Tom's River when he first performed
the song, remember during the first verse when he sings "..this song is
all about us" ......... he spread his hands out toward the audience,
as if it were a love song about him and the love of his fans. Right
there is a reference to his "enthusiastic and creative" Claymates that
all the media loves to talk about.

Then,
when I sing it, I think of how I am "addicted" to Clay and his love
songs. That is the only time I can get close to him is when I hear
that song I am addicted to. And, again, snarkily layered, I am addicted
to Back for More. And I am Back for More.............I play it on
loop. Clay
and his layers and snark. Love the man."

~MyMoam2

"I
have gone to [many] concerts before {snip] too many to mention, but that
wasn't enough to prepare me for what I experienced. The overall joy, his
voice, his looks, his actions were amazing, just amazing. I feel like I
have been taken to another planet, the inner joy is unbelievable. It is
like he unleashes this spirit in him and it envelops you so wonderfully.
He just gives you such joy!"

~debsgarden

"How
can the whole world not yet be at his feet? Even when they're backwards."

-Nageea

"I'm
being trained to shake the bon- bon appropriately.."

-Clay
Aiken [From Access Hollywood interview about tour]

"Northern
Uganda is one of the most dangerous places in the world for children,"
said Aiken. "Children are being forced to commit appalling acts of violence.
Children are being killed and raped. It was all too clear that those living
in the conflict-affected districts of Uganda deserve much more. The global
community must act now with utmost urgency to put an end to these atrocities.
No progress will be made until there is peace throughout the country."

-Clay
Aiken

Governor
of North carolina in May of 2003: "Now Clay, if you could favor us with
a few bars of a song from your upcoming album. Now I don't wanna plug your
album..."

<snip>Looking
up at the oval of young faces staring down at him, Clay Aiken cleared his
throat and for a moment gained the composure of someone totally enlightened
and free.

"YES
- YOU BELONG TO ME! I'M YOURS EXCLUSIVE-LEE-EEE"

With
a force of nature unexpected from such a birdlike chest, Clay's voice rang
out rich and true. Preteens and media jackals alike fell silent as his
majestic voice filled ever crevice of the historical structure.

"INSEPARABLE
IT SEEMS! WE'RE FLOWING LIKE A STREAM"

The
VU meter on my camera pegged at precisely the right point, as my wireless
microphone on Clay's collar captured every nuance of his incredibly powerful
pipes.

"RUNNING
FREE FLOWING - ON THE WINGS OF LO-O-O-VE"

Through
my viewfinder I zoomed in on the rapturous expression that floated over
the psuedo-celebritiy's visage. As he attacked the refrain with a voice
that would send Jeffery Osbourne back to his singing coach, I followed
his voice with my camera, panning up to the frozen throng of onlookers
- their mouths forming tiny O's at the undeniable glory of this unlikely
heartthrob's golden throat.

"TOGETHER
, FLYING HI-I-I-GH!

FLY-ING
HIGH UPON THE WINGS OF L-O-O-O-O-O-O-V-E!"

As
the apparently seasoned showtune-belter wrung the last syllable for all
it was worth, a collective gasp of serendipity floated over the frozen
onlookers. Even the ivory-white busts of long-dead lawmakers seemed to
smile and sigh. When the expertly bent final note finally echoed to a close,
a burst of enthusiastic applause took over the room. I would have clapped
myself had my hands not been full of badly-aging television equipment.
Trying to regain my well-earned armor of nonchalance, I no longer wondered
what made this jug-eared kid special in the eyes and ears of viewers. Simply
put, the dude could WAIL - wherever the current craze took him, he would
definitely earn his living with his golden pipes. And no doubt it would
be a very good living indeed."

"If
you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.Do
good anyway.

If
you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.Succeed
anyway.

The
biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest
men and women with the smallest minds.Think
big anyway.

People
really need help but may attack you if you do help them.Help
people anyway.

Give
the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.Give
the world the best you have anyway."

-From
a message board post by Sherrygirl

"This
article [in TV GUIDE] shows a more reflective Clay; a more self-understanding
Clay; a more determined Clay who wants to entertain a world and stroke
its conscience at that same time. If we understand now that on some days,
it is harder for him to take the spotlight, then we appreciate his efforts
more. But know that the music is filling his soul as it does ours. That
joy and grace he receives when he sings transforms him and he gives it
all to us. It fills and transforms us and we give it back to him and each
other. We leave refreshed to go about our work in the world. Many of us
are more motivated to use our voices to help those who need it. He loves
that. When he says his fans are the best… he means not only to him and
to each other, but also for all we can do as a force in the world."

[Webmistress
Note: Thank you, Tish for this wonderfully insightful article! It has and
will continue to comfort fans who were worried and upset by the tone of
the TV GUIDE article. You have used your tremendous talent with words to
clarify it - and we are grateful.]

"This
is a man who can hold the heart of a child in a ravaged country as easily
and as exquisitely as he can hold a note in a concert hall filled with
thousands...and touch and change lives a hundred times over by doing both."-CallieK"In
my ideal world, no child would suffer. Charitable instincts would
prevail. There would be global acceptance of all different types
of people."-Clay
Aiken, From Learning To Sing Page 240